wishing for whimsy

Encouragement & Motivation

2012-02-02T21:16:00.001-08:00

Music is truly a wonderful thing. Beyond wonderful, really. I’ve always believed that and then weeks like this come along and that belief is just reaffirmed ten-fold.

It’s been a rough week. I’ve had some serious emotional ups and downs coupled with crazy exhaustion and just general moodiness. The perfect storm right? I have to say though that I am so proud of how I’ve handled this week. I kept moving, kept my pace and tried to hold my head high. It’s a pretty good feeling to know that this week roughed me up a little bit but I definitely kicked it’s ass in the end.* In an effort to give-credit-where-credit-is-due, I have to say I did not muster up the gumption to do said ass-kicking all by myself….

I listened to a lot of Pandora this week, specifically my Switchfoot channel. (You may or may not be familiar with my love affair with Switchfoot so I’ll just say this: I love them. They are one of my absolute favorite bands and that’s saying a lot coming from a music lover like myself. ) I haven’t listened to a ton a Switchfoot recently and I certainly haven’t listened to much non-secular music in ages but I like the upbeat tempo the songs Pandora tends to filter through that channel for me. A couple songs that came up this week in particular really struck a cord with me.

The After- You Light Up the Sky

This song came up on a night when I was feeling especially down and out. Religion is kind of a weird area for me right now but for some reason this song caught my attention. It feels really hopeful and encouraging. It is beautiful symbolism to think of dawn as a promise like that. A reminder. I honestly believe that no matter when I am spiritually, God is there, waiting patiently. That is my belief, regardless of any religion or church teachings, that’s my truth. As a person who has struggled for longer than I can remember with depression, it is easy to forget that. It’s easy to feel alone and forgotten. This song, and the concept behind it, gave me a great reminder that that is never the case.

Dark Horses- Switchfoot

Oh, Switchfoot. <3 This song came along on a day when I was trying to muster up the energy/strength/courage to really dig my heals in and get it done. I especially love the bridge and chorus “ Born for the blue skies, we’ll survive the rain. Born for the sunrise, we’ll survive the pain. We’re singing, Hey, you can’t count us out. We’ve been running up against the crowd. Yeah, we are the dark horses. We’re singing wait it’s not over now. We’ve been down but we’ve never been out. We are the dark horses.” After listening to this song a couple times in a row, I tend to do that with Switchfoot , I definitely found myself with a I-can-do-anything attitude and that felt good. I worked hard that day. Like an 11-hour shift, did-all-the-floors-by-myself** hard. At the end of the day though I felt so good, so accomplished. I’ve been down but I’ll never be out. There was a little bit a defiance in my walk that evening. Kind of an “I told you so” attitude. Which is funny because I’m pretty sure that only person I was really trying to prove anything to was… myself. Can you gloat to yourself about what you’ve done? I don’t know but I think that’s what I did. haha

I’ve added both of these songs to my ‘Motivation’ mix on itunes which has proven to be a favorite playlist recently. They made such a huge impact on my week, I thought I’d share them. Maybe they will be just the kick-start you need to power through your week too.

* I know it’s only Thursday but I have a weird schedule so tonight is kind of my Friday night. Thus kind of being the end of my week.

** Doing the floors at my work consists of moving 8 floor mats that are about 50 lbs each, moving various different fixtures/appliances (including our uber heavy fridges), sweeping and mopping the whole store then putting all the mats back and mopping over them. It’s kind of a race against time because you want to get it done and be out of the way as quickly as possible plus it’s usually done right before someone has to go home. So it’s can kind of end up being a bit of an aerobic exercise. Pretty much everyone I’ve ever seen do them, and not take FOREVER, ends up sweaty and red in the face when they are done.

Skin Care 101

2012-01-23T23:53:00.001-08:00

As part of my New Year’s Resolutions, I’ve been trying to really stick to my skin care regime. After a friend asked me to share what products I used, I realized I really do have quite the system. haha. It’s really quite simple when it’s put into action. The daily care is less than 5 minutes a day and then maybe 30 minutes once a week for “deep cleaning” so-to-speak. Since it’s part of my resolutions, I figured I should share it here too.

There are five ‘steps,’ three of which I employ daily:

Step One- Cleanse. I usually do this step in the shower. There are three cleansers that I rotate*:: Aveeno Positively Radiant Brightening Cleanser, Biore Warming Anti-blackhead Cream Cleanser and Biore Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser. I primarily use the Aveeno and the Ice cleanser but when I notice my pores are getting especially mucky, I’ll use the Warming cleanser. That stuff really does warm up! Warm skin= open pores= cleaned-out pores. Not only does it work to help stave off blackheads, the warmth is kind of relaxing too! When I use the Aveeno and the Ice cleanser, I apply it with a Basically U Beauty Buff Teardrop Sponge. These little gems are probably my favorite ‘beauty secret.’ I’ve only ever seen them at Ulta, available in packs of 6 or 2 for only a few dollars. I’ll use one sponge for a few days and swap it out for a new one. They are slightly abrasive so it’s a great way to exfoliate while you cleanse (time saver!) and gentle enough to do it every day. Also the foam these little sponges work up is incredible! Velvety and luxurious!

Step Two- Refine. I think that toners/astringents are often a forgotten step with skin care. Until just recently they were always something I neglected, only using on special occasions when I wanted my skin to look and feel especially nice. Since I started using them more regularly though, I’ve noticed a huge difference. The key is consistent use for noticeable affects… probably the case with most skin care products, huh? My favorite is the Biore Triple Action Astringent. It’s got a great cooling affect (cool skin= closed pores= no place for muck to get into your skin) that gives a nice fresh feel without burning my eyes, a problem I’ve had with many skin care products. I’ve tried a couple other astringents and toners and the only other one that doesn’t irritate my eyes is the Clean & Clear Deep Cleaning Astringent. The Clean & Clean doesn’t have the same cooling affect as the Biore but other than that, they seem pretty comparable.

Step Three- Moisturize. Oh Moisturizer, moisturizer, moisturizer… what a love-hate relationship we have. Until a few years ago I was hard-set against moisturizing my face. I’ve always had oily skin so the last thing I wanted to do was add more grease. Makes sense… or so I thought. Sometime a few years ago I read an article that explained a few things and really opened my eyes. I wish I had a link or something but the basic idea is this: You want to apply moisturizer in the first few minutes after a shower or your skin will, in an effort to replenish all the oils you stripped from it during the cleansing process, go all haywire and start pumping out those oils trying to replenish it’s natural moisturizer. Using a moisturizer soothes the skin and keeps it from over-producing those oils and leave you greasier in the first 15 minutes after your shower then you are all day long. Does that make any sense to you? I was super skeptical at first but I thought I’d give it a chance. After just a couple days I noticed a big difference. I can feel it. I can see it. Now that I’ve been moisturizing daily, I can notice when I don’t use any lotion. I have been made a facial-moisturizer believer! It took me a little trial and error to find something that didn’t irritate my eyes but I’ve fallen in love with the Aveeno line (Using the moisturizer actually lead me to the cleanser I mentioned above, which I also love! ). My two go-tos are the Clear Complexion and the Ultra Calming Daily Moisturizers. I keep a bottle of each of these on hand at all times. They are some of my priciest skin care products (about $15 a bottle) but I can usually find deals and stock up then. Plus since I alternate the two bottles, they last about two months! I use the Calming lotion when I’ve done extra exfoliation or if my skin seems more irritated then usual (sunburns, etc). It’s got SPF 15 so this one is nice in the summer time especially. I use the Clear Complexion lotion if I notice any problem areas sprouting up. It usually works out that they get used fairly evenly. I can’t talk enough about how much I love these Aveeno Moisturizers. I’ve probably tried a good 15 different kinds and the Aveeno line is by far the best. Check it to it, try it out, you will fall in love! In addition to the Aveeno I also use the Avon ANEW CLINICAL Eye Lift PRO Dual Eye System, can’t be a puffy-eyed barista.

Step Four- Blemish Control. Despite all my efforts to avoid breakouts, they happen. No one can really avoid them completely, right? I’ve been using the Zapzyt acne cream since I was a teenager and it’s always worked fantastically. It’s sometimes leaves a visible residue though so I only use it in the evenings. Recently, I discovered the Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment. It claims to clear up blemishes in 8 hours. You’re supposed to apply it every 8 hours which I haven’t actually had the chance to do yet so I’m not sure if the 8-hour claim is true. It does work really well at drying up any problems in an otherwise timely manner though and doesn’t leave any residue so I can use it in the mornings (after my toner, before the moisturizer). In addition to the creams, I use a tool from Tweezerman to help pop any zits that come through. It’s designed to reduce any bruising or irritation that can come from picking and squeezing of the skin. There’s a comparable tool from Revlon that has one end for acne care and one for extracting blackheads. A double threat! I have both tools. The Tweezerman’s little loops tend to be a little more gentle (less damaging) whereas the Revlon tool’s ends have a little more sharpness (perfect for getting into the pores and getting all the muck out). I’ve tried tons of different acne treatments over the years, these are the best ones out there for me. I only use these products as needed but they are still important components of my arsenal.

Step Five- Pampering and Periodic Care. Once a week or so I like to spend a little extra time to give my face a bit of pampering and extra care. Another product I’ve used for years is the Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips. They never used to work very well for me but I’ve found a good way to prepare my skin for the strips. Before I apply the strip, I wash my face with warm/hot water. The warmth opens the pores, allowing the strip to really grab hold and pull out whatever’s there. I’ve noticed a big difference in results when I prep my skin this way. I also like to do a little extra exfoliation with the Mary Kay Timewise Microdermabrasion set. This set is magic. I love it, swear by it, recommend it to everyone. Once a week is all it takes for a pretty glow and super soft skin. The last couple products that I use regularly are a couple different masques: Chocolate Mud & Pomegranate Peel. I found these while browsing at Fred Meyer one day and decided to try them on a whim. There’s enough in each envelope for one generous application. I have made it a point to keep a couple on hand for whenever I’ve feeling a little extra pampering is needed. There are a few other masques offered from this company that I’m eager to check out but so far these two are winners.

And that’s it. All my tricks and gadgets. It seems like a lot but when put in use, it’s really only a matter of a couple extra minutes out of the day. It’s interesting how much those couple minutes can affect the look and feel of my skin though. If you don’t have a skin care regime, I’d suggest finding one that works for you. Decide what your problem areas are (dry skin, acne treatment, etc) and do a little research into some easy solutions. If you’re not into using a bunch of drugstore products, there are tons of different natural beauty care products you can buy or even whip up in your kitchen.

Invest a moment here and there. Put a little extra effort in. You’d be amazed at what an improvement in the way your skin looks and feels can do for your day-to-day life.

*It works for me to rotate products but if you have super sensitive skin, I’d suggest finding what works with you and stick with it.

Hello 2012

2012-01-23T01:21:00.001-08:00

It’s that time of year again. After doing some reflecting on last year’s resolutions, browsing some inspiring graphics found on Pinterest and a little time spent watching the Disney Channel, I’ve decided to just keep swimming.

I have to admit, this attitude towards my resolution is largely due to this graphic:

Photo Credit

It’s not a brand new concept. I know it’s heard it before somewhere. For whatever reason though, when I saw this image on Pinterest it made me stop and think. It gave me a little peace and erased a lot of my anxiety about being ‘behind’ or needing to catch up. Even reading it now I am prompted to take a deep breathe (literally) dig my heals in (metaphorically) and get some stuff done.

Reflecting on last year’s resolutions, I see I didn’t make much, or in some cases any, progress. Reading over the first part of that post though, I see where the progress was made. I was right in that there was a lot of growing. Certainly not in the ways I expected but absolutely in the way I needed.

This year is going to be about continuing the movement and growth This year will be less focused on finding answers and more about finding some great experiences, less about finding definition or validation and more about feeling good about myself. It’s going to be about enjoying the ride and celebrating the little milestones along the way.

That said, my resolutions this year are intended to lend themselves to little celebrations and big living.

( Am I making any sense? lol)

1. Write more notes. Thank you notes, love notes, thinking of you notes, etc. Just be better about correspondence in general.

3. USE WHAT I HAVE. This one is a repeat, verbatim, from last year. I still have some stock piles that I should be using. I’m sure some of them will be added to throughout the year, but I want to try to use what I’ve got rather than just saving it all for ‘later.’

4. Organize, Organize, Organize! I’d like to have my virtual (Pinterest, Gmail, Google Reader, etc), electronic (music, photos, files, etc) and everyday life be a little more organized and simple.

5. Take an art class or workshop. Probably from Kal or Elise. I’ve been mooning over their workshops for a while now…

6. Host more dinner parties! I had a few as last year came to an end and I think I’m addicted. There is really not much that compares to how much I love having people I care about in my house having a good time.

7. Make a blanket. Quilt, crochet… something I’ve been mulling over for a while now.

8. Grow a garden. I have a great little porch that would be perfect for a little basil plant… maybe some strawberries? mmm!

9. Put more art on my walls.

10. Complete two DIY projects a month. I know I have enough DIY ideas on my Pinterest, time to put some of them in action.

Patriot Guard

2011-06-27T16:52:00.000-07:00

First off, let me say that I am all for freedom of speech. I believe that everyone should have the right to speak their mind. I also believe that speaking your mind should be done in a manner that is respectful to other people and with the understanding that just because you think one way, they may not agree and that’s ok. You aren’t responsible for the beliefs and convictions of other people. Many people don’t understand or respect that truth.
That seems to be the case in this video. These protesters (I believe they are part of the Westburo Baptists , which is a whole different level of disgustingness that I don’t even want to get into.) are protesting at funeral for fallen soldiers. Just the thought of that turns my stomach sour. How disrespectful can a person possibly be? Regardless of whether or not that man was in the military or not, he is still someone’s son- part of a family- and that family deserves to be able to grieve without being disrespected and harassed in such a despicable way. It makes me sick and breaks my heart that this is happening in the face of the bravery and sacrifice that is being made by the soldiers and their families.

Enter the Patriot Guard. These guys are awesome. I love that they are unexpected. They aren’t the typical “Christians”- rough and tumble veteran bikers. I love it! They use their bodies and bikes to literally shield out the protesters. One of the ‘guard’ members (a pastor, biker and veteran!) explains why the Patriot Guard is coming to these funerals, “Because my faith says we can’t operate in a vacuum, that we have to take action.” “No family should have to face this type of hatred on the day that they are putting their loved ones to rest.” Those two phrases are it for me. That is what “being a Christian” is about, to me. He goes on to explain why they will keep coming, “Not only from a patriotic stand point but also for the people to know that those in the church care about them, love them and that God is standing here with them.”
I can’t begin to explain how passionate this clip makes me feel. How proud I am that there are good people out there like this and how amazing it is to see Christians coming together to support and protect one another like that. Support and love. That’s all. It’s so refreshing, encouraging and it makes me hopeful.

The Voice

2011-06-27T16:51:00.001-07:00

I know, I know. ANOTHER music-star reality tv show. When American Idol first came out I was a freaaaaak about it. I watched every single episode. After a few seasons I lost interest… every couple seasons I’ll get sucked into a couple episodes but it never lasts. The Voice has had my attention from day one. There have been some seriously talented artists on this show so far and the final 8 have given some INCREDIBLE performances. I’m on pins and needles to find out who takes it all!

I thought I’d do my duty as a music lover and share some of the incredible talent from this show with you all.

Dia Frampton’s rendition of Kanye’s Heartless was so unique! I think it got to the top of the chart on itunes, how crazy! I bet Kanye is pissed, ha! One of the most alluring things about Dia is the way she plays with the melody and the breaks in her voice. She has such a sweet, sweet demeanor and such unexpected fire behind that sweet face when she performs. She has really opened up at the show has progressed so I’m excited to see what happens for her in the future.

I also looooooved Vicci Martinez’ perfomance of Dog Days Are Over originally by Florence and the Machine. Admittedly this song is one of my faves right now; I’ve had it stuck in my head for days now. When I saw that Vicci would be singing it, I was a little apprehensive because her voice is so different from the original singer. She has this roughly-hewn sound that she manages to make sound full and velvety. From day one she reminded me of Brandi Carlile with that “screamy” but not unpleasant voice. I love it. I was pleasantly surprised when Vicci took the song and made it her own. She is such a tiny little powerhouse! The whole performance was electric, I’ve watched it a couple time my jaw is on the floor. Incredible.

From that same show was Javier Colon’s performance of Coldplay’s Fix You. Javier has an incredible voice, no qualms about it. I feel like one of his attributes that makes him so unique but could also be his Achilles heel is his range. In many of his performances he does all these steps and runs and that’s how he makes the song his own but I was afraid that in this case, he’d slaughter this song. I mean it’s Coldplay. They don’t go all diva with the runs. As Adam Levine told Javier in the coaching that I saw on the show, people love this song and they are gonna wanna sing along to it. If there are all these runs and if your range is everywhere they are gonna be like wtf? He was able to pull back the reigns and show a little control and still this was another performance that blew me away. I'd say it’s one of the best performances of the season. He nailed. NAILED it. I got Goosebumps the first time I saw it.

One more contestant that I really loved was Nakia. Unfortunately, he lost out to Vicci in the last round (talk about a tough decision there) but I don’t think this will be the last we’ll hear of him. At least I definitely hope not. I really liked his performance of Sex on Fire but his last performance Whaddya Want From Me was amazing to see. He didn’t want to do the song at first because the original is not his “typical” sound. After reading the lyrics he realized that he really liked the message of the song. The result was a performance that I feel was so personal and so powerful. I can’t wait to see where Nakia will pop up next, he’s amazing.

I’m really excited to see what happens over the next few weeks as this season winds to an end. I heard they are doing a tour this summer too with the top two performers from each of the coach’s teams. um… yeah. I’ll be there.

Scenes from the weekend

2011-04-18T15:28:00.001-07:00

I was lucky enough to have a much needed break this weekend. Instead of spending the weekend sleeping and doing absolutely nothing (which sounds pretty appealing, actually), I took the opportunity to spend some time with some people I love. The weather was fantastic so it was a great preview of summertime. There was grilling and Saturday Market-ing and plenty of laughing. A well-spent weekend, friends. Wonderful.

How Whitney Does Grilling

2011-04-18T15:16:00.001-07:00

Start with Kingsford match light briquettes. Employ the use of no less than two dozens matches to get the coals going.

Remember you’re supposed to start briquettes in a pile. Spend 10 minutes pushing partially started briquettes into a ‘pile’ with miscellaneous grilling tools. Finally, FIRE!

Burn briquettes for approximately 10 minutes, spread out with said miscellaneous grilling tools. Add grill rack.

Grill food.

Hopefully this brief tutorial can help you and your friends this grilling season.

Lovin this look….

2011-04-07T15:26:00.001-07:00

I’ve been following Kendi for a little while now. Most of her outfits are great but for some reason, I keep coming back to this look. I love everything about it… Definitely need to add some of those red pumps and skinny jeans to my wardrobe.

Finally a way to use your promiscuity for good…

2011-03-29T21:55:00.001-07:00

Is it terrible that this has made me cackle on numerous occasions since I discovered it last night?

source

Well said.

2011-03-29T18:42:00.001-07:00

source.

what the…. ??

2011-03-25T18:37:00.001-07:00

Ok. I love my kitty, Macchiato. She’s my (almost) favorite cuddle buddy. However, if I ever get THIS obsessed, someone put me out of my misery…

Hardware store adventures

2011-03-15T20:49:00.001-07:00

A couple days ago while working on his Jeep, A had to run to the hardware store for a few things. I decided to tag along to pick up some things for a project I’d been mulling over since I first saw it on Pinterest. When we got there A went to find his stuff and I was left to find some “nut screwy thingies”. An older man walked over to ask if I needed help, apparently I didn’t look like a natural wandering through the isles like a lost little sheep. After deciphering my girly hardware lingo, he led me over to a wall of hex nuts. He asked me if I knew the size of the bolt or what kind of threading it was. When I responded “oh, anything that looks pretty on a bracelet.” he shook his head and walked away. I won’t lie, that little story is probably my favorite thing about this bracelet. Ha!

It’s a pretty simple idea- braid some string and stick some nuts/beads/whatever-you-want on the string as you go. It was a little more complicated and time consuming than that just because I had to actually hold the nuts in place as I braided them onto the string or they wouldn’t stay in the right place of the braid. I got three kinds of nuts in a couple different sizes and finishes as well as a few different colors of embroidery floss. The final product: two colorful and fun bracelets. The red one with brass hex nuts is tied permanently on my wrist. I wear a bracelet on that wrist everyday so I thought it was a great way to “stack” bracelets since I like that look anyways. I’ll probably make a couple more red bracelets to wear on this wrist just to add to the affect. The second bracelet has the larger sized zinc-coated nuts on a bright teal string. I tied it just big enough to squeeze off my wrist so I don’t have to wear it everyday because the nuts are a little bulky and I was worried they’d get in the way at work. I have yet to make anything with the last of the three “sets” of nuts I bought, zinc-coated but about the size of the tiny brass ones, but I’m thinking about using some deep purple colored string I have. I’m really loving the super vibrant colors right now and this project was a great way to bring them into my usually all-black work attire. Plus they are like the grown-up version of the friendship bracelets with a little bling added!

I highly recommend this project for any of you crafty types. It can be easily adapted and I’m sure it’d be a fun project to do with children. Plus the whole project (materials for 3 bracelets) cost under $5. Can’t beat that! If your interested the tutorial I went off of is here. I’m really excited to try this technique with some other materials and see what happens… I might have a new addiction…

Floating polka dots…

2011-03-15T19:15:00.001-07:00

I’m so excited to share this project! Not only does it help to fulfill two of my resolutions (use what I have and make my home homey) but it’s so fun and whimsical and ads a great splash of color to my room. I’ve been calling it a mobile but I suppose it’s more of a cross between a mobile and a garland. In any case, I started with some paint chips in shades of orange, aqua-ish blue and gray- colors I’ve been obsessed with lately. I love paint chips and I’ve got a nice little stock pile so it was great to pull a good chunk of them out into the light of day. I started cutting circles (1) and two evenings later I had 11 stacks of roughly similarly sized circles (2). I took an old mobile “frame” that I made a while back out of barbeque skewer sticks and strung long strands of very light-weight fishing string from the frame. Then I started with the circles and some Aileen’s tacky glue (a must-have for any crafter) and glued them together back-to-back, sandwiching a section of the string in between them. I just placed each color sporadically on the different strings, stepping back every once in a while and spinning the mobile to see where there might be gaps. Then a gathered all the circles on each string into a stack (3), wrapped them in paper (I used pages torn from a phone book. Who uses those, anyways? haha), and used a paper clip to secure the little bundles (4). I left them bundled overnight to allow the circle-sandwiches to dry without warping or pulling apart (5). The next day I unwrapped the bundles and hung the finished product in a corner of my room. The finished product (6) is about 4 feet long and, so far, has managed to escape demolition via kitty. haha I love how the polka dots float in the air and when the light hits it, there are polka dot shadows on the wall. So fantastic.

On a side note, I love the names of the paint colors… I mean, I’d be 1,000 times more likely to paint my house “Streams of Sunlight” and “Cool Sausalito” over light yellow and pale blue. haha Brilliant marketing strategy there.

Pure Country

2011-03-15T18:42:00.001-07:00

George Strait from the final scene of Pure Country. I cross my heart.

Oh man, what a stud.

PSA

2011-03-15T18:40:00.001-07:00

You should all know: Madre Juengling, aka my roomie Konrad’s Mom, makes THE best no-bake cookies. Seriously. mmmm.

Holly, you gotta share your recipe.

Woah

2011-03-15T18:37:00.001-07:00

Totally in love with this look. Do you think it’s too much for a barista at Starbucks? haha

Might have to give something like this a go at some point…

Blown Away.

2011-03-08T10:37:00.001-08:00

I’ve been hearing tons of buzz about Adele’s new Album 21 so this week I decided to give it a listen. I love Adele’s sound. I’ve loved her since Chasing Pavements. She has such a strong voice, it leaves me in awe. In an article on Wikipedia, she describes her sound as “heartbroken soul” which is just peeerrrfect, in my opinion.

Last night while discussing the album with some of A’s roommates I learned that the whole album 21 is written about one guy, one relationship. That’s why it flows to well- it’s the same emotion through out. I love when albums flow like this, when they make sense. It reminds me of Mae’s Everglow album ( it’s supposed to a be a description of the different stages of a relationship from meeting to falling in love and starting a family) which is one of my favorite albums ever. I also learned that the album’s sound was influenced a lot by Mumford & Son’s Sigh No More and Adele’s US tour bus drive who was always playing country music… It’s interesting to learn where artists find their inspiration.

This video is my favorite of the ones we were googling last night. It’s a live recording done in her house so it feel super intimate and private- which is fitting considering the song gives the same feeling. There’s an explanation of the song at the beginning and, I’ll admit, I had a tear or two in my eye and some major goose pumps when I first saw this video…

PS. I also love that she’s not a twig AND she’s a ginger! <3

Edgefield

2011-03-05T14:12:00.001-08:00

Being a barista, I don’t have the typical weekends that most people do. Most of the time this is a plus because A also has weird weekends (Sunday-Tuesday/Wednesday) but lately I’ve had to work during his whole weekend. Usually I am toasted after a shift so we have just been bumming around our neighborhood and not doing much of anything but relaxing and sleeping. This week though we shared Tuesday off and ended up going on a little excursion to the Edgefield McMenamins. We’ve been to a couple other McMenamins (Rock Creek Tavern is our favorite so far) so it’s kind of our “thing.” Edgefield is pretty far off our usual beaten path but I wanted to go out to that area to visit a friend so A suggested we journey a little further to check it out. It was a Tuesday and the weather was poor so most the estate was totally desolate but we still had fun exploring. I’d only been to Edgefield once before for a concert so all the little nooks and crannies were new to me. Armed with a couple glasses of the seasonal Sleepy Hollow Nut Brown, we set off to see was there was to see. We wandered the halls of the hotel and spent some time picking over the odd-n-ends at the gift shop (and picked up some delicious Moonstruck Almond Sea Salt Bark, mmm). Luckily, the Glashaus was open and we got to watch a girl working on some beautiful glass flowers and visit with her adorable and affectionate puppy, Louie.

Nut Brown. Tasty.

This is from this great planter/arbor made out of pipes and such in one of the seasonal porches. So pretty.

Louie!

The Power Station Pub was calling our name at dinner time… we had the required McMenamins burgers then shared some really incredible Terminator Chocolate cake. I didn’t care all that much for the Raspberry-Ruby Ale compote but the mousse filling was tasty!

A looked so ~~scrumptious~~ handsome in his new vest. My man knows how to dress, that’s for sure.

Chocolate cake before…

Chocolate cake after… that poor thing never saw us coming… haha

We ended the evening at The Little Red Shed, my favorite part. It’s literally a red shack in the middle of a little tree grove. It’s designated as cigar smoking room where you can also enjoy some of their brews and cocktails. There’s a great little fireplace and a section that is reminiscent of a greenhouse with giant windows. It was so cool to look out the window and through the brush outside, like being in a hidden hobbit-house. Very cozy and whimsical.

Looking out from the hobbit hole…

The whole estate is incredible. There is so much history, it started out as a county “poor” farm, and all kinds of fun little settings to relax in. There were were tons of other little buildings and outdoor seating areas that I’m sure will be opening up as the weather get better so I definitely want to go back in the summertime.

Current desktop background….

2011-02-27T22:40:00.001-08:00

I recently came across this picture of my niece Madison while surfing around on my sister’s Facebook. It’s from a few months back but I’d never seen it before. Now every time I minimize or close a window and see this face, it makes me actually laugh out loud. It’s just hilarious!

Oh Miss Madison, you’re growing up too fast, little girl. xoxo

Konrad’s 24th Birthday WEEK

2011-02-26T20:32:00.001-08:00

Anyone who’s known me during my birthday month of August would know that birthdays are big to me. They are pretty much like a second Christmas. Like the “holiday season” is to Christmas, so is pretty much the entire month of August to my birthday. (Like that SAT-style analogy? ) Same is true for my bestie/roommate Konrad. His 24th birthday was this last week, February 22nd to be exact, and in true K-Rad fashion, the festivities lasted from the 18th until… pretty much right now. haha

Here are a few highlights from the three main events:

The party week began on the 18th with a “VIP” Dinner at Bar Due (which is the bar section of Fratelli’s). Only Konrad’s closest friends were invited and it ended up being a nice intimate dinner with myself, Konrad and Katy and then later Katy’s bf Ryan joined. We enjoyed some incredible happy hour food, “Cello drops” (which were lemon drops made with their housemade arancello [like lemoncello only with oranges]… basically they tasted like vodka and Tang…. haha ) and of course plenty of conversation. It was the first time I’d met Katy, who is Konrad’s other bestie, so it was good to get to know her and it was nice that conversation flowed so well between the three of us. The waitress was a little (ok, a lot) snippy at first but warmed up as the night went on. Katy also bought us a round of German Chocolate Cake Shots that were really tasty! After dinner, Konrad and I caught a late showing of “I Am Number Four." I hadn’t heard a single word about this movie but it was incredible! I can’t wait to see the next one… or even just to see this movie again! It was a good way to start off the birthday festivities!

The second celebration was on Konrad’s actual Birthday night, the 22nd. A small group of us met up at Portland City Grill for some happy food and drinks. Konrad and I had been to PCG several times but not for years (literally) so it was kind of a special occasion for me too. I love that place. It’s got an incredible view of all the city lights of Portland (kind of kicking myself for not getting a picture of that ) and a much more upscale feel than many of the Portland happy hours that I have frequented. Being that is was a Tuesday Konrad and I have no problem snagging a booth for our group. Katy and her Boyfriend Ryan joined us again as well as her friend Dawn and Konrad’s coworker/new friend Kelsey. Between the 6 of us I think we ordered literally everything on the menu. They have such good food on their happy hour menu and all for under $5! There were also plenty of Mango Mojitos floating around. mmmm. Our waitress was super sweet too. Konrad picked up on her accent right away and as it turns out she is from Bolivia or Argentina or something like that! Kind of exotic for Portland, Oregon, right?

Overall, Tuesday was a great night. A good way for Konrad to start off his 24th year. It was a super long day for me (work 7:45-4:30ish then just enough time to grab dinner and shower before I had to go back for a meeting from 6-8pm before Konrad and I headed downtown around 9pm so there was zero time for a nap) so by the time we pulled up to our apartment I was more than ready to hit the pillow and pass out. haha

The final party was a big bash hosted by one of Konrad’s moho friends in Portland. The theme was “It’s Raining Men" so people were told to wear rain gear. Not many people actually showed up in galoshes or anything but this is the Northwest so anything we wear is “rain gear”, right? There were tons of people that came though. Out of a couple dozen party guests I knew maaaaayyybe 5 people but I think that was the case for most people. This was pretty much the first opportunity for all of Konrad’s different friends groups to get together. So while almost everyone knew Konrad and maybe one or two other people, most of us were strangers. I was nervous but it all turned out great! Everyone was pretty friendly, there was music, dancing, plenty of mingling and a few pretty strong mixed drinks. haha. It was a great recipe for a great night.

Katy’s new “jeggings” (she had just bought that day) and her killer booties. Love!

Happy Birthday, K-Boo. I hope this next year hold more fabulousness than anyone could wish for. Love you!

Pretzel Bites, yummmm.

2011-02-26T18:16:00.001-08:00

Some of my goals for this year are to “use what I have” (craft supplies, greeting cards, pantry item, etc.) and to cook more. I don’t typically like to eat large meals before work because instead of feeling energized and ready-to-go I end up going into a food-coma which makes running around slinging espresso a little difficult. lol Then by the time I get off work, I just want to have a bite and relax- not spend another couple hours in the kitchen cooking. So I’m trying to make more of a concerted effort to prepare casseroles and snacks that I can reheat and eat later or just nibble on when I want. I found this recipe for soft pretzel bites a while back on a blog called Two Peas and Their Pod (It seems to be a great resource for all kinds of tasty dishes as well as fun DIY projects- two of my favorites!!). I’ve been drooling over the site for a couple weeks now but keep coming back to this recipe. I looked pretty easy and require minimal ingredients- all of which I already had- so I figured I’d give it a try. Today was the day.

After a couple hours, five episodes of Will & Grace and a little trial and error with the baking time, I have to say I am very please with this super easy recipe. They are, of course, best when they are pretty fresh out of the oven and still warm but I think they’ll reheat will in the microwave maybe with a damp paper towel covering them. I also didn’t have the cheese for the cheese dip so I just ate them with some honey mustard dip which turned out to be a pretty good combo. Konrad, my roommate, unfortunately doesn’t like pretzels but he even said they were tasty. I’m definitely looking forward to trying some more recipes from this site…. especially the chocolate caramel cookies with sea salt. yuuum!!

Special Belated Delivery

2011-02-17T12:47:00.001-08:00

I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am to share my Valentine’s Day mix with everyone this year. Alas it will have to wait another moment or two as I am a terrible valentine and I am just now sending my Valentine’s day packages to my long-distance loves. Don’t hate me, friends. I know it’s last minutes but I figure any day is as good as ever to share a little love.

As soon as I know the Valentine’s had arrived, I’ll post pictures and details here. Oh I’m so excited. For now, the little snippet is a sneak-peak and the incredible goodness I crafted up this year.

Friday Night Lights

2011-02-10T21:47:00.001-08:00

Tonight I’m watching Friday Night Lights as I work on my Valentine’s. I love this movie. Not only is the soundtrack almost entirely comprised of Explosions in the Sky, who’s music is pretty much life-changing, but it’s got the kind of theme/message that makes my heart heavy and light at the same time. Something to do with hope.

I especially love the speech that coach gives during the half-time of the last game.

“Well it’s real simple. You got two more quarters and that’s it. Now most of you have been playing this game for 10 years. You got two more quarters and after that most of you will never play this game as again for as long as you live. Now you all have known me for a while and for a long time now you’ve been hearing me talk about being perfect. Well I want you to understand something. To me, being perfect is not about that scoreboard out there. It's not about winning. It's about you and your relationship with yourself, your family and your friends. Being perfect is about being able to look your friends in the eye and know that you didn’t let them down because you told them the truth. And that truth is you did everything you could. There wasn’t one more thing you could've done. Can you live in that moment as best you can, with clear eyes, and love in your heart, with joy in your heart? If you can do that gentleman, then you're perfect. I want you to take a moment, and I want you to look each other in the eyes. I want you to put each other in your hearts forever because forever is about to happen here in just a few minutes. I want you to close your eyes, and I want you to think about Boobie Miles, who is your brother. And he would die to be out there in that field with you tonight. And I want you to put that in your hearts. Boys, my heart is full. My heart is full.”

Good stuff, folks.

Best Girlfriend Award Contender

2011-02-08T21:28:00.001-08:00

Let me just say that if there is an award for best girlfriend, after tonight I am a top contender.

I spent most of my day today making homemade lasagna for A and his roommates. It was a little bit of a daunting task considering some of the extravagant feasts these folks have included me in (and even cooked especially for me). Like a good little girl I called on my Mom and Grandma for advice. Add some olives. Make more than enough, it’s better to have left overs than not enough. Dump in a little cottage cheese. I found myself very nervous and antsy as I filled the deep pan with each tasty layer and then as it was nearing the end of the baking time. I’ve never made lasagna before. Ever. and I was making it for a house full of hungry people- one in particular that I’m pretty fond of- so if this thing flopped, I would have been beyond bummed.

Of course all that worry was in vain. Come dinner time the house was filled with the most intoxicating aroma, the wine glasses were filled with deep red deliciousness and the lasagna was perfect. I got the seal of approval when A’s roommate said, “Yeah, this is terrible, you should probably just not ever cook this again.” as he was shoveling as much pasta as his folk could hold down his gullet.

We all filled, and over-filled, our bellies with plenty lasagna to spare. I pre-packed some easy-to-grab helpings for A to grab on his way to work, brought a healthy portion home for myself and there was still a good chunk left for his roommates to graze on. All in a days work. Not too shabby.

There’s something so satisfying about filling the bellies of the people you care about. It’s like a drug. That contented sigh they let out as they relax into an after-dinner slump? That’s from something you made. You did that. It’s a pretty good feeling folks, a feeling I’m fairly certain I was made for.

Jules Verne + Google

2011-02-08T15:16:00.001-08:00

I love when Google changes their home page. Especially when they are fun and interactive. Today’s Google facelift is in celebration of Jules Verne famously known as the author of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Jules used his incredible imagination to write about underwater, air and space travel long before it was thinkable that such excursions were possible. Since imagination is a major factor in the creation of art, I thought it only fitting to note this great man here on my creative blog.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Verne!

New obsession:: Nail polish

2011-02-07T16:17:00.001-08:00

One of my new years resolutions, which I have yet to blog about, is to take better care of my skin. Specifically finding good cleansing and moisturizing routines for my face and hands.

Working at Starbucks, I have my hands in sanitizing fluid all day which dries out my skin HORRIBLY. I recently worked an 8-day stretch and my hands were so dry they were cracking at the knuckles. Ouch. One idea I had to motivate myself to take better care of my hands was to paint my nails. The idea being that more attention is drawn to colored nails so I’d want to make sure the cuticles and everything were under control. I can’t wear nail polish at work so when I’ve had days off, I try to splash a little color on. One of my regulars recently came in with a really great gray nail polish that I fell in love with. As it turn out it’s part of Revlon’s new Top Speed quick-drying line of polishes, which were on sale at Fred Meyer’s (regular $5.99 each, on sale 2 for $6) so I picked up a couple colors: Violet and Stormy. I decided to do a couple nails in each color and I have to say that I love these colors on their own AND together. I did two coats, waiting about 5 minutes between, and they were completely done and dry in about 15 minutes. Convenient and pretty, perfect combination. Plus the Stormy color is the exact same color as my beautiful cat, Macchiato!

As suggested by my friend Diana, I’m going to try to pick up some OPI Nail Envy to strengthen my nails since the sanitizer does a number on the nails themselves as well as my skin. And possibly some other customer-suggested colors I’m lusting after: My Private Jet by OPI, The Wireless Holographic Top Coat by China Glaze and Jitterbug also by China Glaze. I’m a little obsessed with Gray right now… haha

Macchiato

2011-02-07T15:27:00.001-08:00

I think it’s safe to say that Macchiato has sufficiently settled into her new home with only minor little speed bumps. The most important of these being her vet visit. I took her and Rufi in for their first vet visit last week. I asked the vet about the missing fur on her tail. From what the vet said, she most likely has nerve damage from the accident she was in before I got her. She’s probably chewing on her tail because those nerves are irritating her. There are few reasonable solutions for this problem so the vet suggested just waiting it out a little longer to see if she settles down once I’ve had her for a while. I also got some Laxatone, which is basically lube for her insides, to help with the fur balls she’s been trying to hack up nightly.

She’s a bit of a camwhore, which is perfect for me, but she always tries to chew on the little wrist cord from my camera. I have to admit that it’s adorable the way she bats it around and grabs it with her paws. so cute.

Usually she hides from me when I first come home. It feels like she’s mad at me for being gone but I’m sure she’s just being a scaredy-cat. It seems that the time it takes for her to warm back up to me when I get home is relative to the time that I’m gone. Once she does warm up though she’s super cuddly. She loves to “make muffins” and the instant you touch her she turns her purr motor on high. She looooves to have her belly and behind her ears rubbed. Her favorite position seems to be on top of me, however I’m lying. It’s pretty cute. She’s also become pretty talkative! The other night I was lying in bed and I heard her meow in the hallway, just one little meow. I looked down the hallway and she was sitting just outside my door staring up at me. I called her up on the bed and she just meowed again. Such a lonely little meow. I called her again and that time she took a running leap right into bed. <3 I find myself talking to her a lot. I haven’t decided if that’s a good thing or not. Either way I feel a little bit like a crazy cat lady at least twice a day. haha

This is what happens if I stop petting her…. she slaps me around.

Overall, she’s a good kitty. I’m so excited to have her even if that does mean my bathroom constantly smells like cat litter.

Feathers and Guilty Pleasures

2011-02-07T14:48:00.001-08:00

I have a confession. I love corny teenage CW shows. Specifically Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars. I’m not so much into keeping caught up on the shows, I just like watching occasionally. It’s a guilty pleasure I guess. I have to say that I don’t remember High School being that… dramatic… or maybe I should say fun? haha.
In any case, during a recent binge of Pretty Little Liars, I fell in love with Aria’s style. She’s cute and quirky, kinda all-thrown-together. I like that. Plus she has the greatest hair! I especially love her accessories. In two different episode was sporting some incredible, slightly outrageous, feather earrings that I’m totally lusting over.

These teal/blue feather beauties are Bestsey Johnson’s but they seem to be sold out everywhere except through ebay.

These ones were apparently found by the actress who plays Aria, Lucy Hale, at a really cute boutique in LA, Una Mae’s, but they are made by Owlita and conveniently available in a pair or as singles. I happen to like the single-earring look.
I don’t know where I’d ever wearing such amazing earrings, definitely not to work, but with my luck there would be a mocha explosion all over my face and fantastic earrings. Sounds crazy but it has happened before. Still I am half-tempted to buy/make some earrings similar to these. Especially the super long stripey ones.
Anyone know of a source from awesome feathers that might make cool earrings?

PS. Aria also has good taste in men… this is her love interest- Ezra. Hottie.

Lady Crush

2011-02-07T11:02:00.001-08:00

I first heard this song about a year ago but it seems to be getting pretty popular in the music scene just lately so I finally watched the video. I have to say that I have a soft spot in my heart for hardcore pretty chicks. I’m seriously crushing on Mrs. Christina Perri.

She’s has an incredible voice, great hair and some fantastic ink (note the tattoo of Johnny Cash’s signature on her right bicep). Good combination.

Also lady crushing on Christina Aguilera. I know she totally flubbed up her performance of the National Anthem last night before the Super Bowl but she looked damn good doing it. Since she’s cleaned up her look from dirty tramp to more pin-up-esque she has definitely gone up a few notches in my book. Girl knows how to rock the red lips and she get major kudos from me on that.

Maybe lady crushes are weird, I don’t care. I think it would be a good thing if more women could appreciate the beauty in the women around them rather than tearing each other apart.

Magical.

2011-01-31T17:08:00.000-08:00

This video (though it's an ad for a TV) is just plain magical.
I dare you to watch it without grinning and feeling a teeny bit like a kid again.
:)

tehe.

2011-01-24T22:08:00.001-08:00

via pinster via tumblr

I found this just a couple days before I got Macchiato. Makes me chuckle.

2010

2011-01-24T21:46:00.001-08:00

I can’t believe we are already two weeks into the new year! Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been sifting through photos and my twitter and blog and journal to think about what I did through the year during 2010 and what I want to do this year. Honestly, I was shocked to see what I had accomplished and enjoyed during the year. Often times I feel like I end up looking back thinking “Where did the year go? What have I done?” so gathering photos into a year-end wrap up was a great way to acknowledge and celebrate this year’s milestones. Prepare yourself, folks. I’ve got over a hundred photos… (all of which were taken by me unless otherwise noted)

2010, this was what you brought me:

I started the New Year fresh from a trip home to Oregon for the Holidays. I was madly in love and so looking forward to what the new year would bring.

January

Two of my favorite little birds, Danielle and Corbin, flew in to Anchorage to explore and ring in the New Year with me! We spent NYE with Amanda and Ryan downtown. There were fireworks set off at the town square early in the evening allowing for plenty of time for us to party it up at the nice suite Amanda and Ryan had reserved for the night at The Anchorage Grand Hotel conveniently located a few blocks from the town square. We spent the night playing poker and sipping on White Russians.

fakers.

At midnight we counted downs and cheered. Danielle and Corbin listened to Death Cab’s “New Year” and bounced on the couch. There was kissing all around and even a little motor boating before we settled down and got some shut eye to begin our new year.

New years day brought literally freezing temperatures. Danielle, Corbin and I ventured to the Snow City Café for some grub. There was light-pole licking and reindeer sausage.

I house/cat sat for a couple weeks in a great house off of Jewel Lake road. There was an out door hot tub that I spent hours upon hours enjoying each night and an incredibly FAT cat and super cuddly named Joe.

I also got to cross some things off my bucketlist when I ran naked in the snow and shoveled a driveway…

I moved into a new long-term house-sitting gig with Amanda off Muldoon road. There was an amazing view of the mountains that really lent itself to a couple awesome photo shoots and many hours of window gazing.

I went “ice sliding” at town square with McKenzie.

I enjoyed the wintery sunsets that lady Alaska had to offer.

I “styled” Amanda and Ryan’s engagement photo shoot.

I wrote love letters to a man I was certain would be my future husband.

February

I baked.

I crafted.

I mixed.

Valentine’s day was spent listening to my 2010 Valentine’s day mix (Share Love: today+always), eating my Martha Stewart cupcakes and enjoying some wonderful sunny weather.

The end of February brought Fur Rendezvous and Iditarod festivities. I bundled up and sipped Starbucks while watching the “Fur Rondy” parade (then peed in the parking garage after some celebration at the Brew House with McKenzie… tmi? )

March

March brought me a visit from Konrad.

We drank “red hots” aka “hot shots” at Darwin’s Theory (and thus began my love affair of that little dive bar.)

We dug our selves out of an unexpected snow-storm.

And I learned how to use a snow-blower.

We went to the Starwars Exhibit “Where science meets imagination” at the Anchorage Museum.

Then I was left to recover from a whirlwind visit. I basked in the sun and drank iced tea.

2010 was the first time I went out for St. Patrick’s Day. I had a great corned beef dinner at Amanda’s house then headed downtown to Darwin’s… where there was a band. A FULL band. With bagpipes. In Darwin’s. Which is the size of a closet. So crazy. sooooo fun.

I made delicious tortilla soup.

I looked up after a long day’s work and caught my breath. Alaska. So beautiful.

Break-up season was definitely in full swing.

April

We celebrated my work-wife McKenzie’s 18th’s birthday (and remembered why we loved the Brew house).

I did some nudie baking in my favorite apron and heals. and felt sezzy sezzy.

I made some homemade soups from scratch…. Mulligatawny (made famous by Seinfelds’ Soup Nazi) and Creamy Tomato Basil. Yummmm.

May

I drank virgin daiquiris on Cinco De Mayo with Amanda. What kind of Mexican food place doesn’t sell booze?!?

Then I joined friends at Gallo’s for a REAL Cinco De Mayo. (no photos cause I was shwasted!)

The day after Cinco De Mayo I started working at Starbucks. At 5am. With about 2 hours of sleep. Oh man, was THAT rough…

This picture is from a few days into my training- I made my first caramel macchiato and totally rocked it…

I went to the “world-famous” Chilkoot Charlie’s and enjoyed the panty laden ceiling and sawdust covered floor of the legendary Bird House Bar.

I tried Ostrich at Hott Stixx. Tasty.

On May 24th I became an Auntie!! <3 Madison was finally born after all kinds of hub-bub about being breech. She came by emergency C-section, Addie didn’t even realize she was in labor! I was at work but thankfully kept updated with tons of texts and calls. The first thing I thought when I saw this picture, the first one that was sent to me, was “She’s not all mushy and gross!” She is such a beautiful baby. I didn’t know how I’d feel or what to expect as an auntie but the love that I have for that little girl just blows me away. She just blows me away. Oh I love her. Mucho, Mucho.

June

Wedding buzz!! Lindsey, among others, flew in to begin the wedding festivities!

We threw Amanda a “Little Black Dress Masquerade” Bachelorette Party. I did crazy makeup for some of the girls and we went to sushi at the Dish… yuuuum. Then everyone headed downtown and, like a trooper, she completed every single one of the tasks on the “bachelorette scavenger hunt” I planned for her. Then we ended at the Pioneer Bar (“The Pio") which is the bar that Amanda met Ryan. <3

On June 11th I witness one of my closest friends begin a great chapter in her life. She beamed with unspeakable happiness as I watched her walk down the isle and say I do to some of my favorite songs- She is Love by Parachute and Never Forget by the Shoemaker Brothers (who I introduced her to…. )

photo stolen from Amanda’s FB

At the reception I took tons of pictures in the photo booth and a few of us made a very wise prediction. “Welcome Baby Hopkins!”

also stolen from Amanda’s FB

I took the plunge and got my Alaska tattoo. This is my most colorful tattoo yet and incorporated one of the things I loved most about Alaska- the flowers. I went after work at Starbucks one morning, all jazzed up on java and nothing in my stomach. Bad idea. I passed out about half way through the outline. Dead cold. It was a scary. It took about 5.5-6 hours to complete and, yes, I did it all in one sitting. I’m crazy, I know. The artist had sketched out the fireweed part of the tattoo and then free handed the forget-me-nots.

My foot swelled like crazy! I felt it jiggle like jello every time I took a step… the swelling went down quickly though and I really love the final product.

The Summer Solstice Festival was also in June. Ironically enough it rained most of the day but with all the sunlight nobody seemed to care. I got to see my first Roller Derby Bout and Fly Leaf played a free concert at town square.

I sold Dimples… which was ok because that poor car was tore up!

I enjoyed an Alaskan Amber and ballpark frank at Mulcahy Stadium.

I ate amazing food with amazing people at Gallo’s. I also loved me some maraschino cherries and extra-coconuty pina coladas made by my favorite bartender, Nacho.

I said goodbye to Alaska. Ouch. It still hurts to think about…

Back at the airport with a one-way ticket. June 27th- almost exactly a year to the day of the last time.

July

I into an apartment with my bestie, Konrad, in Beaverton.

I decorated my space.

I watched the neighborhood kids set off fireworks in the street.

I visited with my grandparents…. and made a mental note not to go grocery shopping with them anymore…

I did a lot of bus-stop sittin.

I decided to change things up…. so I was a zebra for a few hours.

4 boxes of hair dye and several panicked moments later…. I was no longer a red-head.

August

I visited Newberg and my favorite barista who made me my signature drink- “Mama Baker.” y.u.m.

I also visited one of my most favorite musician-friends and his roommates. He played his songs while I dangled my feet in the pool and together we watched the summer sky shimmer with meteors. So good for my soul.

I flew across the country and fell even more in love with a tiny person. Madison. My niece. My heart. Oh, little girl. <3

I helped my baby sister get ready for her wedding.

On August 12, I watched my her change from my baby sister to a beautiful bride and a happy wife.

I danced with my father.

I stole the mic and toasted my sister and her new husband. I carry your heart, little sister.

I danced like an idiot but in the process I got the party started and had nearly everyone else there dancing too. heyo!!

I caught the bouquet and little Jake caught the garter. Such a cutey! At the end of the night he shyly came up, tugged on my dress and asked if he could give me a kiss. awww. <3 He and I are engaged now… just give it another 15 years or so.

I babysat Miss Madison (with my mom’s help) while my sister went on her honeymoon. As if it were possible, I fell even more in love- despite the nearly sleepless nights and cranky mama-missing moments.

I went to the beach with my mama.

On the flight home I got bumped up to first class…. it’s amazing what schmoozing with cute, old airport agents will get you.

I turned 24!!

Christy and I got all sexed up and headed to Urban Fondue for some grub.

I WON CONCERT TICKETS! (Thanks to some pro-active tweeting.)

I cruised around in Christy’s little hot-rod with the top down. oh yeah.

Christy and I cam-whored in the bathroom of the Doug-fir. <3

I was completely riveted for about 2 hours and got to meet Cary Brothers afterwards. (Still wishing I’d taken him up on that offer for a birthday drink… )

I got an incredible bouquet of roses.

I found a perk to having dark hair- I can wear red lipstick anytime I want… Thanks to Christy, Mac’s Ruby Woo is my new lover.

I laid out by the pool any free moment I could and soaked up the rays I’d been missing….

Konrad and I had breakfast for dinner. Roomies dinner. <3

September

I settled into my new Starbucks location a little more and embraced “Sparkle Friday.”

I got gussied up for a wedding.

September 5th, I witness the pit to my peach, my favorite art-class companion- Brittany, get married. So much love and beauty. <3

I sucked up the last of my Whit-ley time and explored Lake Oswego with my beautiful friend Ashley. We shared delicious French pastries and jibber-jabbered for hours over coffee.

I celebrated Oktoberfest for the first time at the Mt. Angel Oktoberfest…. Which also doubled as Christy’s bachelorette party!

I tried my best to collect as many beads as I could. Using ONLY talk and reasoning…

I marveled at sherbet sunsets.

I started to see another thing of Oregon that I love so much… the colors of fall.

October

My mom, sister and niece flew into town for a little visit and we got professional pictures done.

photo credit to the walmart photo studio

Diana and I drove the Washington side of the Gorge, something I’d never done before. So pretty!

Diana gifted me with Delores- a pristine white Orchid.

I did a study on the colors of fall… and I felt kind of like a little kid running around the sidewalk and squealing when I found a ‘good’ leaf.

My little chick dressed up as a little chick. <3

November

It snowed! It snowed!! Only a sprinkling but it was still exciting. Definitely the boost I needed to get into the holiday spirit!

December

“use your cabesa, drink sol cervesa!” I did juuuust that. mmmm.

I shot a gun for the first time! Ai! I shot several rounds in a 22 caliber pistol and a 22 caliber rifle (seen in photo.) I also shot two rounds of 45 caliber pistol (glock-ish). We were shooting at an old quary-turned shooting range, just aiming at random things. Most of the time we were aiming at a jug about 45 yards(?) away. I missed the target on my first shot, it was much more powerful than I expected. Then I NAILED the target on my second shot. As it turns out, I’m a pretty damn good shot!

I brought Christmas to our little apartment. An “elf” tree. Setting it up was a little bit of an event. I ended up wiring it into the stand with jewelry beading wire. lol. I also got some little stockings to hang by the tree. This officially made our apartment smell and feel like is was Christmas time.

December 18th- I saw two of my favorites get married. I was there the day they met… I’ve been “there” through their whole relationship. It was magical to be there when they said “I do.” I love these two so much. <3

I was given the most quaintly wrapped Christmas present… a french press!

I brought the caffeine to get all hopped up for a Tron marathon party…

I was made into mocha art… thanks to Bri… I’m the one on the right with the “bouffant”…

On December 27th, my little cousin Melissa became a mama. Baby Maliyah is such a cutie…

Popcorn and Shadow came to stay with us for a little bit… Konrad and I cat-sat for his friend Chelsea. Popcorn was my favorite. Such a sweetheart and so cuddly!

I rang in the new year with my favorite new homie, Diana! We went to and saw her friend’s band CUD play at Bell’s Corner…. in the middle-of-no-where Washington. It was SO cold. But still tons of fun.

And then begins 2011…

Meet Macchiato!

2011-01-24T19:43:00.001-08:00

Meet my new kitty, Macchiato.

Konrad first mentioned getting cats a couple weeks ago and I was initially completely against it. After some discussion, I changed my mind and this weekend we brought home two new kitties!

I thought the sign looked like a Hitler kitty. haha

Konrad knew almost immediately which one he wanted. It was the first cat he took into one of the private visiting rooms (which had these creepy paintings on the walls.) He picked out “Georgette” a 6-month-old, all-black little kitty. He totally swooped in and snagged her away from this fairly annoying teenage girl. haha

Konrad was in love with her right away. I looked at a cat that was in the same colony room as “Georgette” but not only did she pretty much attack poor lil “Georgette” but she didn’t come near me barely at all. She was a no-go so I looked at a couple other cats. There was a beautiful orange cat- Monkey- who seemed super sweet but he had some problems with sores in his mouth so he was also a no-go. Another one was this enourmous white cat names Alfonzo Del Handsome. He was adorable but after petting him for about 5 minutes he barely managed a yawn and baby stretch… I didn’t want such an apathetic cat. I also looked at a cute black and white cat named Abby but after just mentioning her name in passing to the volunteer who was helping us, this cranky old man nearly climbed down our throats to make sure that we knew that Abby was HIS. Finally I checked out “Cyd.” She was in the same colony room as Alfonzo and Abby so I played with her for a minute then asked to see her paperwork and visit with her in a private room. She didn't seem to skittish and was even a little affectionate. She was it. :)

She was adopted from the same shelter 2 years ago as a kitten. Then a couple months ago she was brought to another shelter by “a good Samaritan” and was treated for a fractured pelvis and some other minor injuries from being hit by a car. Apparently the lady who initially adopted her didn't want to reclaim her so the Humane Society fixed her up and she was just released to be re-adopted a couple days ago. She’s pretty much all healed up except for a patch of missing hair on her tail (probably from her biting a scab from the accident off.) She also has a tiny white patch on her chest. Other than that she’s completely, beautifully gray. I’ve decided to rename her Macchiato, Macc for short. Macchiato means “marked” so I think this name is fitting for her.

So far she’s assimilated very well. No accidents or major problems. She’s even slept with me every night since I brought her home. Last night Andrew came over and she turned her purr on turbo-mode. Little hussy. haha She ended up sleeping on his chest part of the night. How’s that for heart-melting. <3 She’s learning to come when you call her and she loves to “make muffins”/knead with her paws on eeeverything. She is just so sweet.

I love how she curls up into the tiniest ball she can manage when she sleeps…

Ok, enough pictures. I'm such a crazy paparazzi lady. Or maybe just a ~~crazy cat lady~~ proud mama?

Konrad’s cat is renamed Ruciphee, as in what the mice call the cat in Cinderella. We are calling her Rufi for short. haha. I haven’t had too much time to play with her because she’s been in Konrad’s room hiding a lot but she seems super sweet. Rufi is a little camera shy...

Zero.

2011-01-14T17:47:00.001-08:00

There are approximately ZERO words to explain how much I miss Alaska right now. Seriously.
Oregon is where I need to be now, this is where my life is. But Alaska, oh Alaska. No words.

Photo taken by me driving along the Hwy from Wasilla to Anchorage, Fall 2009

Resolutions.

2011-01-04T20:47:00.000-08:00

After much deliberation, I’ve decided that my mantra this year is going to be “Get your ass in gear.” But for the sake of being less abbrasive, I’m going with this:

I’ve spent some time thinking about my life and everything that’s gone on, and not gone on, in the last few years. So this year is about getting things back on track, getting my ass in gear and finishing what I start.

I also wanted to focus on figuring myself out. I have defined myself as an artist, a student, a barista… all these things for so long but (forgive the cliché) I need to figure out who I really am. Or maybe recognize who I am. Then decide where I want to be and figure out a plan as to how to get there.

There’s gonna be a lot of growing this year, which seems silly to say with how much “growing” has happened in the past years. I’ve realized though that all those events and people that I’ve encountered have been there to open my mind to exploring life a little more rather than sticking to the narrow plans I have had for my life until now. I feel like I’ve become a little bit of a hippy in this aspect.

So these are some of the resolutions I came up with to guide me along my mission to get my ass in gear in a groovy way…

-Journal more, blog more, keep better track of my thoughts/feelings/daily goings-on

-Pay better attention to my finances. Get my student loans under control. Get my debt paid down.

-Take better care of myself. Drink more water, take vitamins, be more active- STETCH more. (That last one sounds crazy but it’s been making a world of difference).

-Abolish bad skin. Moisturize, exfoliate, refine. Find and follow a skin care regime that works for me. (This one also seems silly but the difference is incredible).

- USE WHAT I HAVE. I’m becoming a hoarder. I need to use the food stock-piled in the kitchen, the greeting cards stacked in my closet… all my craft supplies.

-Be more crafty. Finish projects that I’ve started, follow through on more ideas. Basically just do it.

-Get my etsy shop back up and running. Redesign, re-conceptualize, advertise on some blogs?

-Put more art in my house. Mine as well as other people’s. I’d love to own some of Elise’s stuff and maybe some more from Kal.

-Make my apartment more homey. Decorate, get things out of storage and actually move in…

Ai-Ai-Ai!!

2010-05-04T17:20:00.001-07:00

Guess who is the newest barista at the Downtown Anchorage Starbucks?!?!?

C’est moi!!

I’m so excited I could jump out of my skin! They offered me the job before I even really had an interview and everyone seems really excited to have me joining the team. Me too, me too!

Training starts Thursday and I’m going to the “Starbucks Experience” training class next week too. Aiyeee!

I have always wanted to work in a coffee shop. Always. Starbucks is a great place to gain some useful experience in a field I’ve always wanted to work in so I couldn’t be happier.

Plus, in all honesty, Starbucks beats Kaladi Bros but any day of the week in my book. ;)

Noah Gundersen

2010-04-20T02:08:00.001-07:00

*photo credit to Ben Blood Photography via Noah’s Myspace

I have been blessed to spend a moment of time with some incredible artists. People who are talented beyond words. Tonight while browsing the “singer/songwriter'” section of itunes, I came across one of these particular musicians- Noah Gundersen. I first heard Noah play at a coffee shop in Newberg. He is such a powerful performer and thought-provoking lyricist that I couldn’t help but sit, listen and be inspired by his obvious passion. I was an instant fan.

A few weeks later, he played another coffee shop show in Newberg with my good friend (and also ridiculously talented musician) Tristan Ellingsworth. After the show, Noah and his band (including his adorable little sister) went back to Tristan’s house to unwind and jam a little bit. Tristan, knowing how much I love to listen to him play, invited me to hang out with them so of course I went. ;) For the next 3 hours or so, I sat against a wall in Tristan’s apartment scribbling in my sketch pad while they all played whatever came to mind. I was drinking in every beautiful note.

I love music. I love music. Music is my drug, live music is an instant high and that night was some pretty potent stuff.

At one point after things had mellowed down, Noah started quietly strumming on his guitar. He played a song that, even in it’s unfinished state, was something special.

Jesus, Jesus, could you tell me what the problem is
With the world and all the people in it?
Because I’ve been hearing stories about the end of the world
But I’m in love with a girl and I don’t wanna leave her
And the television screams such hideous things
They’re talking about the war on the radio
They say the whole thing’s gonna blow
And we will all be left alone
No we’ll be dead and we won’t know what hit us
Jesus, Jesus, if you’re up there won’t you hear me
’Cause I’ve been wondering if you’re listening for quite a while
And Jesus, Jesus, it’s such a pretty place we live in
And I know we fucked it up, please be kind
Don’t let us go out like the dinosaurs
Or blown to bits in a third world war
There are a hundred different things I’d still like to do
I’d like to climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower
Look up from the ground at a meteor shower
And maybe even raise a family
Jesus, Jesus, there are those that say they love you
But they have treated me so g*d damn mean
And I know you said ‘forgive them for they know not what they do’
But sometimes I think they do
And I think about you
If all the heathens burn in hell, do all their children burn as well?
What about the Muslims and the gays and the unwed mothers?
What about me and all my friends?
Are we all sinners if we sin?
Does it even matter in the end if we’re unhappy?
Jesus, Jesus, I’m still looking for answers
Though I know that I won’t find them here tonight
But Jesus, Jesus, could you call me if you have the time?
And maybe we could meet for coffee and work it out
And maybe then I’ll understand what it’s all about

I left Tristan’s house feeling like I was on cloud nine and humming that song to myself the whole way home. A couple weeks later, Noah posted the song on his myspace for download. I snatched it up and it made its way onto every playlist I made for the next few months until my computer crashed and I lost all my music (depressing, I know).

Fast forward a year and a half, and there it was. On itunes. Jesus, Jesus on the album Saints and Liars. I bought it, hit play and I was instantly back in Tristan’s living room. I was sitting cross-legged, sketching and so full I was bubbling over. This time around, I love the song for a whole new set of reasons and I find peace not only in the soothing tone but also in the fact that I am not the only one who has thought these things and felt this way.

If you haven’t heard Noah’s music, or even Tristan’s for that matter, you.must.go.listen. It will change your life.

I’m hooked.

2010-04-16T20:31:00.001-07:00

I’m not sure where I’ve found the time but lately I’ve been watching some really great, really addicting shows.

Vampire Diaries. I stayed away from this show for most the season because the ‘vampire’ thing is so over done. Not to mention the CW has been big time blowing lately. I managed to get sucked in though- 14 episodes in. I watched the entire season in a couple days and now I can’t get enough! Not only are the plot lines pretty interesting, but the music is amaaazzzing (and if you know me at all, you know music is a big selling point for me). In fact, that is was hooked me. The first episode has Placebo’s ‘Running up that hill’ in it. My heart stopped and I was instantly hooked. I’m looking forward to seeing how the season ends even though I’m sure I’ll go through withdrawals until season 2 begins… PS. The Salvatore brothers are much hotter vampires than any of those other sparkly vamps. ;)

Parenthood. I am a huge fan of Lauren Graham. Huge. Enormous. Gilmore Girls is probably one of my absolutely favorite TV shows- even though, ironically, I have probably only watching a dozen or so episodes. From what I’ve read about and watched of Lauren Graham, she is a saavy business woman and a talented actor. She was reason enough to start watching this new show and the rest of the all-star cast have worked surprisingly well together. Dax Shepard (I love his character, Crosby. Great guy, great name), Monica Potter, Erika Christensen, Mae Whitman and Craig T. Nelson join Ms. Graham to form part of the Braverman family, which the show follows. It seems to have a good combination of drama and comedy while dealing with real-life situations (a teenage daughter’s first boyfriend, a special-needs son, being a single mother, etc.) which is why I think this show will be a great hit. To top it off, there is some great music in this show too. More oldies music too. :) Good stuff.

Dexter. Oh… Dexter. :) I started watching this show last fall but I always started the episode so late that I’d be out just after the opening credits. So I finally started again from the beginning. Omg. O.m.g. I just don’t even know what to say… except: Dexter is one good looking ginger. ;) I’m almost done with season 3, then onto season 4. Apparently Michael C. Hall, the guy who plays Dexter, is in remission from cancer so they are holding off from filming season 5 until his hair grows back. Can’t wait.

Trauma. I am so bummed that NBC didn’t pick up this show. I am also annoyed that they picked up Mercy in it’s place (apparently they only have room for one medical drama on NBC). Trauma > Mercy. Definitely. The music makes my heart race and plot lines are so great. They do this misdirection thing when the accidents/trauma’s happen. I love it. I’ll be sad when this show ends… :(

So after I’ve caught up on all these shows, I’ll be trying out True Blood so hopefully between that show and the new season of the Bachelorette starting up, I won’t go crazy from withdrawal. ;)

All photos found via google image search.

Dear John…

2010-04-11T16:18:00.001-07:00

[[ This post contains spoilers for the book and movie. Be advised. :) ]]

I finally saw Dear John this last week. I read the book right before the movie first came out but I couldn’t find anyone to go see it with. This last week if was playing at the Bear’s Tooth so Alicia and I went.

Right away there are some deviations from the book. Alan is Tim’s brother in the book and in the movie he is Tim’s son. Also, in the book John never gets shot and there is no letter to his Dad. Also, they never have sex in a barn but I’m not complaining cause that scene was hawwwt. The other big deviation is way it ends. I have to say that I like the way the movie ended. I like that John still sold his Dad’s coins and donated the money to help Tim in his fight against cancer because that showed so much about his character as a man. I’m glad they didn’t cut that out. But I love that they end up together in the end of the movie. In the book it kind of sucks because you know that he’s never going to be happy without her and while she might be happy with Tim, she’ll never be as happy as she was with John. It’s sad that Tim died but I’m so glad John and Savannah ended up together in the movie. :)

There are a few other little things here and there that didn’t happen in the book but I think for the most part they stayed true to the spirit of the book. It’s my understanding that Nicholas Sparks was involved with the writing or something for the movie so I’m sure that it much of the reason why the movie and book mesh so well despite their differences. I like that they are different- and even complimentary- because this way it’s like more people will be satisfied with the way the story ends

Now that I’m done with my little review, haha… Let me just say that I.love.Nicholas.Sparks. He has a talent for writing some really captivating stories which is evident by the fact that he is not only a best-selling author but also because several of his book have been turned into best-selling movies now. And I love all of them. Honestly. I’m reading The Last Song right now. The movie premiers in the next couple weeks, and even though the lead character is played by Miley Cyrus (double barf), I can’t wait to see it. Once I get back to Oregon and I’m able to “nest” again, I want to collect his books that have been turned into movies (I think I have all the movies already). I think that’d be a cool collection to have- a shelf of books next to their accompanying DVD’s.

The Dear John soundtrack is also amazing. Seriously. They use Paperweight by Joshua Radin (<3) and Schuler Fisk 3 different times in the movie (it was also in the previews for the movie which is was immediately grabbed my attention the first time I saw it). I.love.Joshua.Radin. Paperweight is probably in my top three favorites of his songs too. Alicia and I kept oohing and ahhing over the songs during the movie so I was sure about halfway through that I wanted to own the soundtrack. Then there’s this really adorable scene where Savannah, played by Amanda Seyfried of Mama Mia, plays the guitar and sings this song to John. He’s just sitting on the couch watching her play. It was so adorable. And the song was absolutely beautiful. Alicia leaned over after that scene and said she wanted the soundtrack. I was like right there with you, sister. ;) I also need to mention that there’s a Swell Season track on there too. The Moon was played it think during the sex scene in the barn. Great song and it fits perfectly with that delicate scene. *sigh* Needless to say, I went home, promptly downloaded it and I’m been listening ever since. I would say that this soundtrack is right up there with Garden State- maybe not as epic but pretty damn close.

Ok. Last thing. This movie made me miss Cameron so much. Everything does that these days though so no big surprise there. The story line though is what strikes a chord- being away from the one you love. It sucks. In some of their letters they said things that Cameron and I have said to each other over the past months. One letter from Savannah said, “I miss you so much it hurts.” That line gave me some serious heart-pangs. Oh, I know how you feel, little lady. Boy, do I ever know.

Such a great movie. Can’t wait to own it and watch it with my girls (or maybe just Ashley) and moon about the romance over a glass (or two) of delicious wine. :)

Text messaging is the new post-it note...

2010-04-11T13:52:00.001-07:00

Day #78: Dreaming With a Broken Heart, originally uploaded by badbwoy4lyf.

... So I've been... "Berger"-ed?

I came across this story on Yahoo about the 10 worst ways to break up with someone. It seems to be sponsored/written by "Bounce Back” which is a website with resources for people bounce back from an ended relationship.

Sadly, I can say I’ve experienced a number of these horrib le break-up scenarios (#9, 5 & 2). They aren’t very pleasant. But I thought the article was an interesting read and the writer seemed pretty witty. Check it out for a good chuckle and maybe a few sympathetic sighs.

All the single ladies!… and toddler boys…

2010-04-10T22:14:00.001-07:00

He just wants to be a single lady! COME ON, Dad! hehe

I just came across this video through A Cup of Jo and it immediately made me laugh… and then want to dance… All the single ladies, all the single ladies….

My future backyard…

2010-04-07T13:52:00.001-07:00

I recently started watching Parenthood, at the suggestion of my friend Ashley (PS. Isn’t her blog SO cute?). I’ve only watched the first episode and I have to say that I am incredibly impressed! Such a great storyline. And what an all-star cast; I love Lauren Graham and Monica Potter. I also love the parent’s house! It’s exactly what I imagine my house to be someday. Eclectic, lived in and so homey! I especially love the backyard. The twinkle lights, the lanterns and the long table. I’d like to have a space like that someday to fill with my family and eat Papa’s barbequed hotdogs. Oh I can’t wait. :)

PS. I also love the little music montages at the end of the episodes where they show some great family bonding the scene to the tune of some great oldies song like Paul Simon’s “St. Judy’s Comet”. I’m a sucker for moments like that.…

Dear World,

2010-03-25T18:15:00.001-07:00

It’s me, a girl.

I saw this commercial recently and was first struck by the visual aspects of it. I love the shot at the beginning of the red “Dear World” collage. Then while in search of a link to post the video, I found a statement on the Girls inc website about this “Dear World” campaign.

“Girls Inc. believes that all girls are inherently strong, smart, and bold, and showing them that their voices are trusted, respected, and above all, heard is a critical part of helping them stay that way in the face of gender stereotypes and pressure to conform.”

They did a great job advertising a great message in a very catching way. It kind of makes me want to write letters on paper airplanes and throw them off a roof somewhere…

Iced-tea kind of day

2010-03-17T18:24:00.001-07:00

When I was a young girl growing up in California (pre moving to Oregon when I was 8), my Grandma used to set gallon-sized jars on the back porch to brew sun tea in. I was too young to appreciate a nice tall glass of ice-cold sun tea back then so I often opted for Kool-aid (We had a Kool-aid Man pitcher that changed colors when it was cold!). When we moved to Oregon, the jars were put to use storing flour and sugar and sun tea went to the wayside.

Today I as I was sitting in the corner of the living room basking in the warm sunlight streaming through all the windows, I thought of how nice it’d be to have a nice, cold glass of tea. Sun tea to be exact. My matured taste buds have grown to love a nice brewed tea and that is precisely what this beautiful day in the sunshine called for. Now seeing as how, despite the shining sun, the high here in Anchor-town was only 40 degrees (which, by the way is about 2 degrees warmer than my fridge…), I decided to go for the stove-top route. The result- a nice, tall, ice-cold glass of peach iced-tea. Perfection.

I am still in disbelief of how beautiful this day has been but as I drink down my pitcher of tea this week, I’ll remember the warm sunshine and the taste of nostalgia with every sip.

Hello???

2010-02-24T23:53:00.001-08:00

I just checked my site meter for this site and, I have to admit, I was surprised to see how many hits I’ve had considering there are zero comments…

So if you’re checking this blog out, drop me a line and let you know what you think. It’s always nice to have a little feedback and input on things.

Thanks for stopping in!

I miss you.

2010-02-22T01:07:00.001-08:00

I miss you, gritty sand.

I miss you, salty ocean mist.

I miss you, cool breeze.

I miss you, beach hair.

I miss you, bon fires.

Oh I miss you.

I can’t wait to go to the beach when I get home. Sink my feet into the sand, taste the salty water and watch the beach combers. Snuggle with my honey by a bon fire and laugh with my friends. Oh, I can’t wait.

Hope.

2010-02-22T01:06:00.001-08:00

Girls are taught a lot of stuff growing up. If a guy punches you he likes you. Never try to trim your own bangs. And someday you will meet a wonderful guy and get your very own happy ending. Every movie we see, every story we're told implores us to wait for it, the third act twist, the unexpected declaration of love, the exception to the rule. But sometimes we're so focused on finding our happy ending we don't learn how to read the signs. How to tell from the ones who want us and the ones who don't, the ones who will stay and the ones who will leave. And maybe a happy ending doesn't include a guy, maybe... it's you, on your own, picking up the pieces and starting over, freeing yourself up for something better in the future. Maybe the happy ending is... just... moving on. Or maybe the happy ending is this, knowing after all the unreturned phone calls, broken-hearts, through the blunders and misread signals, through all the pain and embarrassment you never gave up hope.
Gigi, He's Just Not That Into You

Photos 2009

2010-02-20T20:52:00.001-08:00

Well, I just finally got around to uploading the last of my the pictures for my “Photos 2009” project. Overall, I am fairly pleased with this set of photos. I missed a few days here and there but somehow the set ended up with 401 pictures. I remember restraining myself from posting dozens of photos some of those days so I can only imagine what my collection would be like if I captured every special moment I had in 2009 and posted them. Just looking over these 401 pictures has given me a magical feeling- like what I suspect it would feel like to hold a handful of fireflies. I think it really shows where I’ve been over the last year. I can flip through the pictures and remember the people and places that touched my life and the events that led me to where I am today. I can see the beautiful things that I experienced almost everyday and that makes me want to open my eyes and see what beautiful things are happening around me right now.

I’d say that was a success.

I’ve continued the project for 2010. It’s off to a rickety start but look forward to updates on Photo 2010 because the year hold a lot of promise for memorable moments… :)

xoxo

A little something acoustic…

2010-02-20T17:47:00.001-08:00

Ok so lately I’ve really been digging the acoustic music. More-so than usual, if that’s even remotely possible to believe… I came across this guy who, coincidentally, seems to be friends or maybe just musical colleagues with Andrew Garcia, one of my favorite American Idol contestants thus far for this season…

Anyways, this guy, Jesse Barrera, has a great voice and I love, love, LOVE his cover of Brooke Fraser’s “The Thief”…

PS. How cute are his shirts?

oh, one more PS. If you’ve missed American Idol so far, here’s Andrew Garcia’s version of Paula Abdul’s “Straight up”… it was his first performance in Hollywood, a big success. LOVE IT.

Craving.

2010-02-17T02:09:00.001-08:00

Tonight I am homesick. I am craving the familiar scent of dewy grass and manure (yes, manure) as I drive the back roads from Newberg to Salem. I am craving the windows rolled down and Baby Lu, my trusty Toyota, BLARING loudly through in my ears. I am craving flip flops, bare sunburned shoulders and slushies. I am craving some music that makes me feel at home.

I sat down in front of my computer tonight looking for something to take my homesick heart off all these delicious down-home cravings… I surfed the web, check my facebook and google reader… then found myself listening to this wonderful melancholy mix of songs I’d compiled for exactly the kind of night I’d been craving. “Mellow night driving” I can’t tell you how many times I listened to that mix. I could time each bend in the road to the changing of the songs.

So I whittled down the sizeable playlist to a cd-size mix for my new car, Dimples. The Best-of-the-Best when it comes to the melancholy music I crave when I’m longing for summer time. When I’m craving home.

So now the true test. Windows down and bundled up, I’m going to a test drive.

Wish me (and my soon-to-be-frozen fingers) luck!

Drive test:

Muldoon-Tudor-Lake Otis-Huffman-Old Seward-Tudor-Lake Otis- 15th-Debarr-Muldoon

Skipped part of track 4, 10 and 11

So good I could almost smell the Yamhill countryside.

It’s that time again…

2010-02-03T19:52:00.001-08:00

Making my annual Love-Day mix. I need YOUR suggestions! Old, new, country, rock… what is your fave love song?

[ photo mine own from the making of last year’s v-day mix.]

Home

2010-01-28T15:25:00.001-08:00

I LOVE this “Home” book over at Elise’s blog. I’ve had a pretty strong hankering to nest lately and after seeing these pictures, I only want it more. I can’t wait to get back to Portland and set up a home again. <3

Haiti

2010-01-22T22:48:00.001-08:00

Confession: I haven’t really been “in the loop” on the whole “Hope for Haiti” thing. I knew it was going on but I hadn’t seen much of the photos or anything. Tonight, while setting the tivo to record Conan’s final show (sad day), I came across the “Hope for Haiti Now” telethon and watched for a few minutes. I thought that the monologue Brad Pitt gave to introduce a Haitian performer was beautiful.

“In that first night after the quake, as the dust was settling, a sound weaved it’s way through the darkness. There in the small city of Jacmel, amongst the ruins and ruble, stood a lone musician playing his guitar. he played for his fellow artists who were gone. he played for the fathers who had lost sons, for the sons who had lost mothers, and the sister who had lost brothers. he played to make sense of the incomprehensible devastation and soothe is broken city. And through the night and more than ever, he played for those who would carry on.” – Brad Pitt, Hope for Haiti Now telethon, 1/22/10

It’s always been evident in my life that music is a powerful instrument for healing and understanding. I think this is true for many people. I watched for a few more minutes and then spent another 30 minutes or so googling and youtubing videos. I was especially touched by the performance of Hallelujah by Justin Timberlake and Matt Morris. This is the kind of song that touches the soul. So beautiful.

As I perused some more and saw the devastation in Haiti, I couldn’t help but draw a parallel between Haiti and the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. I spent some time in Mississippi and Louisiana seven months after the hurricane doing relief. It was the first time I’d seen such devastation first hand and it broke my heart. Many of the photos of Haiti reminded me of things I’d seen on my trip south.

[photo credit]

[two photos above are my own]

I’m not much of a praying person these days but tonight I will be praying for the families affected by the devastation in Haiti. For a song to lift them up and hold them. For peace and comfort. For hope and strength to carry on. For healing.

Another successful trip to the “paint chip store”…

2010-01-17T23:26:00.001-08:00

aka the paint section at Walmart and Lowe’s.

Such a great way to find a little inspiration. I’m super excited for some of the Valentine’s Day projects I’m working on, some of which will be using these paint chips, and seeing all the beautiful colors has only added to the excitement.

I have to say that I snagged some of these colors simply because of the names. Va Va Voom (red), Dip Into Drama (deep purple), Sweet Sixteen (lavender-y pink), Freckles (melon), Sigh (pale blue), Wishing Star (pale, pale green), First Kiss (bright pink), Raspberry Tart (dark mauve), Hang Ten (teal) and Lettuce Alone (light green)… they have a line targeted towards kids too with names like “Radical” and “Bubblicious”… so fun!

This is my fave color combination from today’s stash: Blackberry Jam, Celebration and Lettuce Alone.

mmm. So excited to get to working with these bad boys. :D

True Confession: I L<3VE Valentine’s day.

2010-01-15T17:05:00.001-08:00

Anyone who has spent even a millisecond with me should know that deep down in my heart of hearts I LOVE Valentine’s day. Ok, so maybe I wear that more “on my sleeve” than “deep down in my heart of hearts”. All the same, it is well known in my little circle that I love Valentine’s Day. I don’t care what all the jaded, heart-broken pessimists say about it being a materialistic, consumer-driven blah blah blah. To me it’s the one time of year that it’s (socially) expectable to doodle hearts on every scrap of paper, decorate cupcake with pink and red frosting and let my hopeless-romantic self hang out.

This year I’m armed with my Martha Stewart Living Valentine’s Day magazine and an overflowing heart. I am determined to make the most of this season of love, despite the thousands of miles separating my Valentine and I.

On the docket:

Some of Marta’s adorable “Heartstrings” mobiles- I am so in love with mobiles lately. There’s something so whimsically intoxicated about having beautiful and vibrant papers flickering in the light of the window. I loved this idea when Marta did it last year so I tucked it away in my memory bank for this year. Excited to get snipping and taping and loving every little bit of this fantastic decorating idea.

[[[ Ps. How PRETTY is Martha’s take on Marta’s idea… crayon hearts?]]]

Possibly a garland?

Some cute Valentine’s for my favorite people. [ and of course an extra special one for my most favorite person. ;) ]

aaaand, OF COURSE, some baked delicious treats…

I’ve already got a copy of my Love Mix burned for my car (I need one for work too) and there’s another mix in the works. So I’ll be listening to plenty of the heart-warming kind of music that makes you want to hold someone close and just sway to the beat…

I’ve also started to have a hankering to watch some of my fave romance flicks… Sabrina, Sleepless in Seattle (<3), You’ve got Mail, French Kiss, A Walk to Remember, The Notebook… so many good ones.

I also CAN’TWAIT for Dear John and Valentine’s Day to come out in theaters!

Aiyiyiyeeeee! I love this time of years. My mind is buzzing with ideas. Can’t wait to get started!

Oh hello, beautiful.

2010-01-14T20:00:00.001-08:00

I started house-sitting at a new house with Amanda last week. This is long term until April so I’m actually able to settle in and FINALLY unpack from my trip home (as much as I secretly don’t want to). Anyways, between work and all of family stuff that’s been going on lately, I haven’t really had a chance to slow down and take in the surroundings… I’ve been missing out. This is my backyard. Can you believe it? It’s literally breathtaking. I peaked through the blinds and saw this a few mornings ago and my breath caught in my throat. You definitely don’t see this very often, and certainly not outside your living room window, in Oregon.

So today was my day off and it’s been snowing most of the night, day and now into the night again. I thought it was slightly funny that is literally has to warm up (the temp was around 4 degrees there for a few days) in order to snow. Of course “warm up” means about 20 degrees. That’s still pretty cold, my friends.

But I bundled up and journeyed outside with my trust mini tripod and self-timer camera. This is the best shot I got with my camera perched on the deck railing. I didn’t realize the snow was so deep until I set my camera timer and took off running only to take 3 steps and fall about thigh deep in snow. Crazy.

Here’s the aftermath. I was out there for half an hour or so and my feet were soaked. Thankfully I wasn’t much of a popsicle. It’s about time my blood thicken a little. ;)

Alrighty. Just wanted to share my new setting. I’m hoping this gorgeousness will inspire me to create/write something beautiful.

Milestone.

2010-01-12T15:54:00.001-08:00

One of my 23 while 23 goals is to finish a hand written journal. Luckily there has been plenty of inspiration+down time+ things to sort through that have allowed this goal to be more tangible than in the past. It’s also turning out to be majorly catharsis for me. I’ve found that I blog more “creative writing” stuff- musings, memories and special moments- while I journal about things more personal and near to my heart that I need to just see on paper in order to work it out in my head. Of course that means that more often than not I’ve neglected my blog. And oh, I am so sorry for that. Many of my New Year’s Resolutions have to do with blogging and crafting- Hopefully I’ll get around to posting those at some point too. Oh, I digress.

The meaning of this post was to celebrate! A milestone! For the first time in… well probably ever, I finished a pen. I dripped that baby dry while writing out my heart over the past few months and it felt good. Such a sense of accomplishment from such a meaningless event.

Starting new with a fresh, inky black pen was like a breath of fresh air. So much to write. Can’t wait to write that sucker dry too. ;)

Woah. December?

2009-12-01T01:20:00.001-08:00

I can’t believe how quickly time is flying. Oy.

I’m pretty proud of my progress with my photo-a-day project, I’ve only missed a few days this whole year and there are a few days that I’ve got duplicates for so it all adds up.

aaaaaanyhoo…. This is my November. I think these photos do a good job of summing up my eleven-oh-nine.

1. 11-1-09, 2. 11-2-09, 3. 11-3-09, 4. 11-4-09, 5. 11-5-09, 6. 11-6-09, 7. 11-7-09, 8. 11-8-09 (3), 9. 11-8-09 (2), 10. 11-9-09, 11. 11-10-09, 12. 11-11-09 (2), 13. 11-12-09, 14. 11-13-09, 15. 11-13-09 (2), 16. 11-14-09, 17. 11-16-09 (2), 18. 11-16-09, 19. 11-17-09, 20. 11-18-09, 21. 11-19-09, 22. 11-20-09, 23. 11-21-09, 24. 11-22-09, 25. 11-23-09, 26. 11-24-09, 27. 11-25-09, 28. 11-26-09, 29. 11-26-09 (2), 30. 11-27-09 (2), 31. 11-27-09, 32. 11-28-09, 33. 11-29-09, 34. 11-30-09

I might be slightly in love…

2009-11-08T19:05:00.001-08:00

With this flickr set: Bench Monday. Seriously. Love it. There’s something about a photo where you can’t see face but they are suggested. Just love it. I also love this girl’s house and fashion sense. It’s so clean and sophisticated with pops of color. And the giant porch swing-platform thing? Couldn’t be more fabulous.

Rock stars! The caption on this photos said, “ We take requests.” so cute!

Wicked awesome porch swing. <3

Two words:RED KITCHENAID.

This Chandelier is TO DIE FOR.

Ridiculous Talent.

2009-11-05T21:40:00.001-08:00

This gorgeous person is Katie Carlene.

I had the pleasure to live with her for a few splendid months during which time I experienced more beautiful music than I could ever hope for.

She’s gonna be big someday, I’m telling you now.

Her first album, Sound, is a great collection of songs and, from the sound of some of the new videos on her website, they are just the beginning for this wonderful little song bird.

She is one of the major, major reasons why I can’t wait to go home to Oregon for Christmas. As luck would have it, she has a show at the Tonic Lounge in Portland on December 18th. I’ll certainly be there and I definitely suggest all of you Portlanders to try to make it out too. :)

(photo credit to Kelsey Hoff, headpiece by Jade Rose Design)

My pretties….

2009-10-31T03:38:00.001-07:00

Loving gemstones right now. Specifically Lapis (the deeper colored, the best), goldstone (mostly blue goldstone), amber, smoky quartz, rutilated quartz, cherry quartz, amethyst, citrine and Peridot. I’ve always loved corals too. Basically if it’s got a nice rich color or unusual visual texture, I’m in love. If their faceted, it’s even better.

Hubba, Hubba

2009-10-31T03:14:00.001-07:00

I recently saw this via Elise’s favorites on Google Reader.

My jaw hung open for a full minutes as I surveyed the shear beauty and wonderfulness that this amazing idea is.

Art + art supply. Genius.

Think of all the amazing things you could do with something like this. Change it with the season. Or your house decor. Or your mood. The possibilities and endless and I like that.

Personally, I’d fill that baby up with every color Prismacolor has to offer, times 2 or 3, and switch it up to keep things fresh. Someday when I have a place with a dedicated ‘studio’ space I’m going to be all over something like this. I love the idea of displaying the supplies you use regularly in a beautiful, inspiring –and practical- manner.

<3 it, mucho.

Inspired again!

2009-10-10T03:05:00.001-07:00

Oh man. It’s been too long, my friends. Far too long.
I’ve finally begun to settle down completely and I’m learning to juggle working full time, spending time with some special people and having time for myself (to create, shower, sleep, ya know- the essentials ;) ).
A couple days ago I had the whole day off and was bound and determined to make something. I sat down and scatter all my lovely beads out around me. It was like heaven. I made some wonderful earrings that had been custom ordered (how exciting!) and it felt so good to be making something again. Unlike just a few months ago, I am SO inspired lately! All day at work I am itching to get home and try out a new idea I thought of or recreate a beautiful necklace I saw. It’s so wonderful to be inspired again- and so interesting for that inspiration to come from new places!
While I was perusing through my stash I pulled out my collection of buttons and thanked my lucky stars that I went with my gut and deciding to bring them with me when I made the big move North. (I wish I had brought more of my craft stuff!) I spent a little time separating them out and the colors set my imagination of running! I tried some wire wrapping techniques and experimented with some color combinations. Then tonight I put together a button cluster necklace. I’m not sure how I feel about it though… mostly because of the composition- I need to figure out a different way to clump the buttons maybe. It could also be largely because I don’t particularly like orange but it was an experiment so I don’t mind wasting these buttons. :/
Well, I should actually say that orange and I have a touchy relationship- some days it’s love and some days I want to throttle it. I dunno.;)
Aaaanyways- here is the final project. The chain is about 22 inches long. The "cluster” part hangs about 3 inches from the chain and it’s finished with a lobster clasp.
I will most certainly be putting this one on my etsy so if you’re interested, check it out there!

2009-10-10T02:45:00.001-07:00

A while back my coworker Dolly had checked out this blog and fallen in love with green and black blown glass earrings. She bought them and has worn them everyday for… oh, over a month. It makes me happy that she loved them so much! After seeing her pair, Dolly’s mom and sister wanted a pair also. So I ordered some beads special for them and made these earrings. They are all a basic wire-wrap technique with slight changes to each pair. They are also much smaller than the original green and black earrings- with the blown glass bead on these measuring about 3/4 inch.

I love how they turn out! Dolly loved them too and when her sister cam into the gallery today wearing the pair I made for her, my day was complete! She was thrilled with her new earrings and I was thrilled to have made them!

These are my favorites. :)

I made these for another coworker’s birthday. She normally wear silver and shimmery jewelry and I thought the red would be a nice way to bring in a little color since she had been saying she wanted to wear more color. They were a big hit! She loved them and insisted on wearing them the rest of the day! I couldn’t stop looking at them and she couldn’t stop hugging me. You can never have too many hugs so I’d say that was a win-win situation

Birthday Book!

2009-09-30T00:02:00.001-07:00

I was super inspired by Elise’s birthday book. I’m always inspired by her so what else is new… ;)

I contemplated buying one of her excellent custom birthday books but in an effort to both save money and do something crafty I decided to make my own! I’m pretty happy with how it turned out and I’m super excited to start filling it!

This is the intro page. It’s vellum and transparency ( I used a lot of transparencies). It says “ Yesterday was my 23rd birthday. Today I start a new year full of so many new things to try and fun things to do. Here is where I will document my year as a crazy 23-year-old living in Alaska, living each moment to the fullest and checking off all kinds of new, wonderful things. xo, whit” [ I realized after I stapled the vellum down I used “living” twice. Oh well.]And the list (written on this fantastic ‘school paper’ scrapbooking paper. (click image to see larger and read list)

Cards from Marcy and Amanda/Lish

#8- write more letters. I wrote my 24-year-old self a letter.

Back in the saddle again…

2009-08-11T01:23:00.001-07:00

Oh man. I’ve finally gotten somewhat “settled” in Alaska. I have to admit that even though I’m surrounded by beauty everyday- breathtaking beauty- I am so incredibly UN inspired. Uninspired to make jewelry anyways. I am itching big time to get my hands on some paints. The colors in the sky here and the mountains… crazy beautiful. I’m working at an art gallery that carries some of the most talented artists! Rob Goldberg’s paintings makes me want to take up watercolor, Eric Miller mystifies me with his areal paintings and Sandy Jamieson makes me laugh. Being surrounded by art everyday ( legit art, not the crap they carried at the ‘Frog) is proving to be inspiring. Not to mention my google reader has been overflowing with inspiration… I’m hoping I can carve out some time soon to be crafty in one way or another…

In the meantime, I came across some pictures of some pieces I made just before moving… I’ll be listing them on the shop soon so be sure to check them out there if you’re interested. :)

The speckled donut beads in this one are from Greece. My friend Danielle brought them back for me last year and I was finally inspired to do something with them. I <3 the way it turned out. :)

GO!Ventures

2009-06-30T20:18:00.001-07:00

Kal over at [i] LoveLife is always a huge inspiration for me. She and one of my other favorite bloggers, Elise, recently did a mini-workshop they were calling GO!venture. I followed along with didn’t participate because I’m <strike> a loser like that</strike> busy with work and moving and such… but I did thoroughly enjoy seeing what these two ladies came up with. These two pieces are my favorites. Kal’s from the prompt treading water and Elise’s from the prompt song + dance. Always inspiring to me, those two are for sure. :)

If you looking for an interesting read and some pretty things to look at, definitely check out these two excellent blogs. :)

Glee

2009-06-25T12:03:00.001-07:00

I may be in love with Glee. Especially this particular clip. It gives me goosebumps every single time. {I <3 Journey.}

Can’t wait for next fall. This is gonna be a great show!

Inspiration!

2009-06-23T15:56:00.001-07:00

I am in love with Vivianna Love’s Photostream on Flickr, found via Elise.

Just flipping through her photos and journal pages for the past few minutes has completely inspired me. Her art journal is urging me to pick up a pair of scissors and GO!

photo credit.

Alas, all my art stuff is gone or packed. :( Except my words and my camera. and my beads. So I’ll keep to the crafts that I have available to me.

I also really like the prompt for the page above… “Everyday it is non-negotiable that I…” That’s an interesting way of putting it. Instead of saying “Everyday I have to…”, as if it’s a chore, it’s like she is saying these are the things that I need to do in order to exist from day to day.

For me my “non-negotiable” to-do’s would be to Laugh/smile, experience beauty, feel every emotion deeply and to love someone or something. And to create.

Which reminds me. Lately I’ve been contemplating doing one of these art journal challenges where you create something everyday/week from a prompt and then share it with everyone involved and marvel at how different each person interprets a simple sentence or word. A few things have been holding me back though…

First, as much as I love the prompts that I’ve seen or heard of, I just don’t think they ‘do it’ for me. Maybe I’m being to critical of myself and subconsciously saying before I even starting that I won’t be able to make something nearly as cool as the rest of the people from said prompt. I don’t know what it is but I every time I read a prompt I think OH SWEET! and my mind immediately goes blank. It’s like stage fright.

Second, I’m beginning to realize that my idea of “art” encompasses way too much to be pinned down to one medium. To me art is simply something that is beautiful and since beauty is in the eye of the beholder, there are a thousands different things in one day that I would consider art. An expertly told joke, well written words, a nicely plated meal, a beautifully frosted cake, the blinking signal lights from a few dozen cars waiting in traffic, the way the sun casts shadows through the glass in the windows at my work…. Some of these things just aren’t compatible with a 2d art journal format. I think that’s why I like the photo-a-day project that I’ve been trying to keep up with. You can capture so much in a photo. Not all of it. But so much of it. And what I can’t capture visually, I try to illustrate verbally in my photo captions.

Wow, I’ve gone off on such a tangent.

Bottom Line: I feel so inspired today and it feels wonderful.

Breathtaking.

2009-06-23T11:36:00.001-07:00

I know I’ve blogged this photo before but I found it today while sorting some photos. It’s breathtaking. So ridiculously beautiful.

Photo credit: I think it’s from Flickr… Magda.Indigo

I’ll be better about credits in the future…

Introducing Georgie.

2009-06-18T23:27:00.001-07:00

I GOT A NEW CAMERA TODAY!

I’m in love with her. She is named Georgie in honor of my bed George. I used the money from selling George to get her so it only seemed appropriate. She is a Canon SD780 IS- 12.1 MP. Pure love.

Best part of the whole deal: I got a protection plan (Thank you, Best Buy.) that protects me from everything. I could drop it and smash it into a billion pieces and then take it into a Best Buy and they will hand me a new one. Brand spankin new. No questions asked. Anyone who knows me and is familiar with my last camera (and it’s various rubber bands) knows that this protection plan is going to come in handy- probably more often than anyone at Best Buy would think. haha!

Here’s my old baby:

Georgie takes b-e-a-utiful pictures too! Here’s the first picture I took… I also took the above photos, but this was the first. :)

Blurb.

2009-06-11T17:30:00.001-07:00

I discovered Blurb last night and I’m in love. I’ve decided once I get settled up in AK my project will be to turn my old LJ into one of these lovelies…

Party Cloudy

2009-06-11T10:45:00.001-07:00

Elise posted about this super cute pixar short that is being show before UP. It’s adorable! Made my day :)

Photo Credit

What’s my niche?

2009-06-03T15:25:00.001-07:00

Marta shared an interesting video about niches from Design for Mankind today. Moments into the video I started thinking, What is my niche? Do I have one? Do I NEED one?

After a little thought I decided my niche, if I have one, is to create a feeling. I think that my art is driven by emotion. Well, some of it’s driven by music but music is usually meaningful to me because of the emotion it evokes. So my art is emotion-driven, it makes sense that it evokes emotions and feelings. Everything I create- paintings, photos, even jewelry- has a certain feeling about it. Hope, sophistication, excitement, fresh/crisp/clean, crazy, eclectic, mournful… I could go on for days. I like that. It makes sense to me, especially in jewelry design, to create this way. When I pick out a photo for scrapbooking or to put in a frame, I want something that represents how I feel about whatever the subject matter- something that captures that moment perfectly. When I pick out my jewelry, I want something that goes well with what I’m wearing and planning on doing with the day- I wouldn’t wear the same earrings to go clubbing with friends as I would to a job interview.

This is the way I function, the way I categorize my life. It would make sense that this would be my “niche”. Marta said “Do what you love.” I agree with that but for me it’s “do what you feel.”

A little More Spice…

2009-06-03T13:57:00.001-07:00

I’ve decided to include more than just my etsy creations on this blog so look forward to posts on inspiration, art discussion and my daily photo project! :)

Hip, Hip, HORRAY!

2009-05-27T16:29:00.001-07:00

I made my first sell this afternoon! The black faceted wire-wrapped earrings sold. :) I got the email on my blackberry while at lunch with Ashley, it was a highlight of the day for both of us (love that girl).

I’m so thrilled that I’ve made a sale! I’ve got some ideas for advertising some more and a giant fire lit under my tuckus to keep the goodies coming! :) I’ve got another day off tomorrow and I’m hoping that I’ll get to spend a good chunk of the day working on just that…

First batch of shop goodies…

2009-05-26T19:07:00.001-07:00

etI’ve finally come up with a small batch of items to add to my shop.
You will recognize the necklace, I posted about it a couple days ago. As mentioned in that post, I did decide to remove that little piece of coral with the pearl beads- I’ve got plans for that special little nugget later. I think it looked better without it anyways, no as busy. I also think that I’m going to get some more of those coral pieces to do another necklace with a red beaded chain.
Anyways, back to the goodies at hand…

These are the two sides of the necklaces- I like the one on the right best.

bad picture but this is the lobster clasp

aaand the finished product. I’m really happy with how this piece turned out and even happier to have it up on my shop. :)

These earrings are wire wrapped plastic beads. I wish the beads were glass but I just love the design of them and I’m very happy with how they turned out.

These earrings are a little more sophisticated. I love the speckled beads on the bottom- they are some sort of stone (reminder to self: next time I go pick up beads, write down the names of the stone. lol). I paired them with a couple simple black and red glass beads. There’s some more wire-wrapping in this set too. I feel like this set is funky and dainty and just all around wonderful. I hope they go to a good home (and if not I’ll just keep em for myself, shhhh).

This is another wire-wrapped set (sensing a trend?). They are simple black glass faceted top-drilled beads. Simple and beautiful.
Welp, this is it for now but I’m itching to crack my bead box open again soon so stay tuned!

A cluster of something good.

2009-05-22T15:20:00.001-07:00

I made this necklace over my “weekend” the last few days. There are three 20” strands of beading wire- one all white, one brown with coppery accent beads, one white with copper and brown accent beads. I found the three shell pieces myself on the beach in Florida. The coral was bought at the cute bead shop I just found and the pearls are plastic (my cultured ones weren’t quite the right color). I drilled and wire wrapped everything myself (still experimenting with this) and just arranged them onto the beaded strands with jumps rings. The beaded ‘chain’ is closed with a lobster clasp and jump ring.

I have buckets of shells that I would like to do a line of jewelry with. This is the first and I’m pretty pleased with how it turned out. :)

I’m thinking of taking this little cluster (above) off and either leaving the necklace without it or adding something else to that spot. I like the little piece of coral and I think it’s too special to get lost in the cluster of other coral and shells. I think it would look great on a separate necklace (with the chocolate and white pearls) with a brown beaded chain. I’ll mess around with it and see what I come up with.

3 of my favorite things.

2009-05-18T22:14:00.001-07:00

I recently discovered this divine bead shop right down the way from my favorite sushi place- just past a nice little bluster of Dogwood trees. Three of my favorite things with in just a few steps of one another. How much better could life get?

It only took a few minutes for me to know that I had found heaven. 45 + minutes later I walked out with a stash of new beads I couldn’t wait to play around with. Here are a couple set of earrings I made from some of the beads I found. Definitely planning on going back, pronto.

This first set is centered around these amazing blown glass beads I found and a color scheme I’m obsessed with right now (red and light blue).

I flipped the blown glass bead upside down because I didn’t want the heart-ish shape to conflict with the stripes in the bead or the other design features of the earrings. I’m glad the heart shape isn’t too pronounced so I can use them like this making the focus more “look at these awesome blow glass striped earrings” and less “look at these heart earrings.”

They are pretty long too. Here they are pictured with a regular AA battery- it was the only thing I could find to sort of measure them up against.

This pair is pretty simple but they have definitely become a staple of my accesory-drobe (as apposed to wardrobe, duh ;) ) The flower beads are actually a really deep red vintage czech flower beads. Not from the amazing shop unfortunately. They were actually a ‘throw in’ gift from an etsy purchase a while back- almost better than the fantastic shop cause they were free. The shell circles were from the cool new shop though. They are kind of grey-beige. I’m pretty surprised by how much I like these little beauties. I’ve already worn them several times in the week since I’ve made then.

Here they are measured against the battery again- another long pair. Lovin it.

*****

On a sort of unrelated topic, I’m thinking about working with some wire wrapping. I’ve only ever used the straight pin with the loop to connect but I’m really liking the look I’ve seen with some wire wrapped pieces I’ve seen lately. Wish me luck and be on the look out for some experimentation in that department.